Scientists have discovered a new praying mantis species in Nyungwe National Park.
They have named the new species Dystacta tigrifrutex, or the bush tiger mantis, according to a Case Western Reserve University press release.
"The new species is amazing, because the fairly small female prowls through the underbrush searching for prey, while the male flies appear to live higher in the vegetation," said Riley Tedrow, a Case Western Reserve University evolutionary biology student who led the research, according to the release.
Researchers found the new praying mantis species on a cool and rainy night in the national park, which is located in southwestern Rwanda. A winged male specimen was attracted to a light trap set up by the scientists to study local insects.
After then trapping a female from the leaf litter, she laid an egg case (called an ootheca) which allowed scientists to study the species during a one three-week field session.
"We knew this mantis was special after completing nearly eight months of work to identify all the specimens found during the three week expedition," said Tedrow, who is studying evolutionary biology at Case Western Reserve University, according to the release. "The new species is amazing because the fairly small female prowls through the underbrush searching for prey while the male flies and appears to live higher in the vegetation."
Like other praying mantises, the new species is a vicious hunter, according to the release.
The wingless females are adapted for catching prey close to the ground in the undergrowth, which inspired the name of the species, since it shares similar hunting techniques with that of a tiger.
The study's lead authors, Dr. Gavin Svenson from Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and Tedrow, along with researchers in Rwanda, have said they plan to return to Nyungwe in June to survey more mantises.
The researchers hope to come back with more new species, and hope to learn whether the bush tiger's habitat is more broadly spread or not.
"The new praying mantis species was found in the high altitude rain forest region of southwestern Rwanda and probably only lives within Nyungwe National Park, which adds significant justification for protecting the park to ensure species like this can continue to exist," said Svenson, curator of invertebrate zoology at The Cleveland Museum of Natural History and adjunct professor at Case Western Reserve University, according to the release.
The study was published in the open access journal ZooKeys.
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