Caurinus tlagu is a species of scorpionfly in the family Boreidae, a group known as snow scorpionflies. C. tlagu and was first described by Derek Sikes & Jill Stockbridge in 2013 in Prince of Wales Island, Alaska.[1] Its description made it the second accepted member of the genus Caurinus.[2]
| Caurinus tlagu | |
|---|---|
| |
| Female specimen | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Mecoptera |
| Family: | Boreidae |
| Genus: | Caurinus |
| Species: | C. tlagu
|
| Binomial name | |
| Caurinus tlagu Sikes & Stockbridge, 2013
| |
Morphology
editVisible morphological features of Caurinus tlagu, along with the presence of cytochrome oxidase II gene sequences, help differentiate the species from its sister species C. dectus.[3]
C. tlagu is reddish-brown in hue and measures 1.5 to 2.3 mm (0.06 to 0.09 in) in length. When viewed from the side, it resembles a flea; soft hairs are found sparsely throughout the insect's body, and the insect is covered with sclerites. C tlagu lacks ocelli and the rostrum is either reduced or completely absent.[1]
In C. tlagu, hindwings are lacking, and female forewings resemble pads; male forewings end at the first section of the abdomen. The insect's hairless tarsi have five segments and include tarsal claws. The widest segments of Caurinus tlagu's abdomen are the fourth and fifth segments, and the first two segments are fused. The mandibles contain two teeth, located below the apex.[1]
Etymology
editThe specific epithet of this scorpionfly, tlagu, is a Tlingit word that roughly translates to "ancient".[4] The insect was named "in honor of the place it occurs, its people, and history, in addition to the apparent great age of the genus Caurinus."[1]
Ecology and habitat
editThe diet of C. tlagu consists of liverwort found in coastal, forested locations.[2][4] Instances of the species have been found in open, clearcut spaces, tundra, between trees, and heaths that contain alpine trees.[3]
References
edit- ^ a b c d "Caurinus". Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Retrieved 2024-12-11.
- ^ a b "Discovery of a strange new snow scorpionfly species in Alaska helped by Facebook". EurekAlert!. Retrieved 11 December 2024.
- ^ a b Sikes, DS; Stockbridge, J (11 July 2013). "Description of Caurinus tlagu, new species, from Prince of Wales Island, Alaska (Mecoptera, Boreidae, Caurininae)". ZooKeys (316): 35–53. doi:10.3897/zookeys.316.5400. PMC 3713333. PMID 23878513.
- ^ a b de Lazaro, Enrico (16 July 2013). "Facebook Helps Identify New Species of Enigmatic Flea-like Insect | Sci.News". Sci.news. Retrieved 11 December 2024.