If you live in the lava caves of Vietnam , you ’re potential to need some specialized adaptations to expand . In the case of a newfangled species of roach , that means looking " like a forthcomingStar Warspersonality,”jokedits describer Peter Vršanský .
Vršanský and his squad discovered the young species in the hole-and-corner lava - tube cave scheme of Tan Phu . The cave were formed in across-the-board basaltic lava flows and are locate under a ironical wood teak tree plantation .
“ Morphologically , it is on the face of it the most eccentric cockroach which has ever lived that we get laid of , ” Vršanský toldNew Scientist . The study is published inZootaxa .
The medley of feature that combine to form its wonderfully alien appearance admit small , sick eye , a jumbo head , a helmet halo , a hooked kid on its back , and curl , malfunctioning wings . Oh and not to forget , they have a “ tergal gland ” that secrete liquified as a form of aphrodisiac for female .
Well , you know , everyone likes a pleasant tone every now and then . Unfortunately , these cockroaches are n’t as heroic as their helmet and aphrodisiac suggest .
“ This new species lack the typical juicy nitrogen - robust body found in other cockroaches , so it can not make a really valuable nutritious bite for the female person , ” Vršanskýsaid . “ rather , it lures the female person with scented promises and then grab her tightly . ”
He then admit her down with his helmet and nipper – perhaps he belong to to The Empire instead ?
Slovak Academy of Sciences
The louse ’s head mass is proportionally the expectant of all cockroaches , institute 11 per centum of the body , excluding extremities . Its legs are prospicient and lank , all the near to run and navigate obstacle with .
The next oddity is its nonfunctional wings . Not a problem , aver the authors , as the creature ’s lure may help it to latch onto bats and hitch a ride as a means of dispersal .
The speciesHelmablatta louisrothiis named after the helmet - mould tergal gland ( slavic : helma ) and the cockroach genus Blatta . It is 3 millimeters in distance , with a mostly translucent trunk that is slightly pigmented xanthous .
The cave in which it hold out are fairly young , so the research worker approximate the raw species is less than 2 million years old . The caves are typically dwell by bat , however , H. louisrothidoesn’t eat chiropteran guano like over cave - dwell cockroach . or else , it feeds on bacteria and fungi .
The dark side ? Slovak Academy of Sciences
