國家地理:古老森林中的神話生物

Mythical creature found in ancient wood

古老森林中的神話生物

Researchers exploring Brazil's Atlantic Forest discovered some five to seven new species of praying mantises. Among the newfound creatures are unicorn mantises, which have mysterious, hornlike structures on their heads, as seen above on a member of the genus Zoolea.

研究人員探索巴西的大西洋沿岸森林，發(fā)現(xiàn)了五到七個薄翅螳螂的新物種。這些新物種包括了獨角螳螂，它們頭上具有神秘的角狀構(gòu)造，屬于Zoolea屬的成員。

It's unclear exactly what purpose the protuberances serve. Perhaps they're "meant to break up the silhouette of the animals," says team leader Leonardo Lanna, whose Projeto Mantis expedition was funded by the National Geographic Society. Predators may then mistake them for something inedible, such as a leaf bud. Unlike their magical namesake, the praying mantises of the Atlantic Forest are experts in the art of blending in.

這個突起物的作用仍不清楚，也許是“用來混淆身形”。研究團隊領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人李奧納多·拉納如此說；他的螳螂計劃考察行程由國家地理學會贊助。掠食者可能會誤認這些螳螂是不能吃的東西，例如一片葉芽。不同于和它們同名的神話動物，這些大西洋沿岸森林的薄翅螳螂可是偽裝大師。