菲律宾发现新品种竹节虫
文章来源:未知 文章作者:enread 发布时间:2012-09-04 07:58 字体: [ ]  进入论坛
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A mysterious new species of stick insect has been discovered living in the Philippines by scientists.

一种神秘的竹节虫在菲律宾被科学家发现。
Conlephasma <a href=enigma1: a stick insect unlike any other" style="cursor:pointer" onclick="window.open('/upimg/allimg/120904/1_120904075908_1.jpg')" />
Conlephasma enigma: a stick insect unlike any other
 
The stick insect is wingless, lives on the ground rather than in trees, and is spectacularly coloured, having a green-blue head and orange body.
 
The insect also vents2 a foul-smelling spray to deter3 predators4.
 
The stick insect is so unique that scientists have given it its own genus and do not yet know its relationship to other stick and leaf insects.
 
"Recently a colleague, entomologist Oskar Conle, showed us some museum specimens6 of a strange-looking stick insect found several years ago on Mount Halcon, a remote locality in the Philippine island of Mindoro," explains Marco Gottardo, who is studying for a PhD at the University of Siena, Italy.
 
The insect was found on the third highest mountain in the archipelago, which is considered one of the richest areas of biodiversity in the world.
 
"We were baffled. It looked so different from any other known stick insect in the world that we immediately realised it was something very special."
 
Mr Gottardo and colleague Philipp Heller carefully examined the specimen5
 
"We concluded that it represented an unknown genus and species of stick insect," Mr Gottardo told BBC Nature.
 
The scientists have published details of the discovery in the journal Comptes Rendus Biologies.
 
"The new stick insect is wingless, with a stout7 body and rather short legs," says Mr Gottardo.
 
The scientists think these features are likely to be special adaptations for living in the low-growing vegetation of a montane rainforest.
 
Most tree-dwelling stick insects that live in the forest canopy8 have slender and elongated9(细长的) bodies and legs, thought to provide good camouflage10(伪装,掩饰) among stick and leaves.
 
"Another unique characteristic is the spectacular colour pattern. [A male] has dark bluish-green head and legs, and a bright orange body with distinctive11 bluish-black triangle-shaped spots on its back," he adds. 
 
It is more likely that the insect uses these striking colours to warn off(告诫离开) predators, rather than as a form of camouflage.
 
"In fact we have discovered that the new stick insect has the ability to release a potent12 defensive13 spray from glands14 located behind its head.
 
"The defensive substance is sprayed when the insect feels threatened, and has a strong distasteful smell, which likely functions to repel15 potential predators in a similar way to skunks," says Mr Gottardo.


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 enigma 68HyU     
n.谜,谜一样的人或事
参考例句:
  • I've known him for many years,but he remains something of an enigma to me.我与他相识多年,他仍然难以捉摸。
  • Even after all the testimonies,the murder remained a enigma.即使听完了所有的证词,这件谋杀案仍然是一个谜。
2 vents 3fd48768f3da3e458d6b73926735d618     
(气体、液体等进出的)孔、口( vent的名词复数 ); (鸟、鱼、爬行动物或小哺乳动物的)肛门; 大衣等的)衩口; 开衩
参考例句:
  • He always vents his anger on the dog. 他总是拿狗出气。
  • The Dandelion Patch is the least developed of the four active vents. “蒲公英区”在这四个活裂口中是发育最差的一个。
3 deter DmZzU     
vt.阻止,使不敢,吓住
参考例句:
  • Failure did not deter us from trying it again.失败并没有能阻挡我们再次进行试验。
  • Dogs can deter unwelcome intruders.狗能够阻拦不受欢迎的闯入者。
4 predators 48b965855934a5395e409c1112d94f63     
n.食肉动物( predator的名词复数 );奴役他人者(尤指在财务或性关系方面)
参考例句:
  • birds and their earthbound predators 鸟和地面上捕食它们的动物
  • The eyes of predators are highly sensitive to the slightest movement. 捕食性动物的眼睛能感觉到最细小的动静。 来自《简明英汉词典》
5 specimen Xvtwm     
n.样本,标本
参考例句:
  • You'll need tweezers to hold up the specimen.你要用镊子来夹这标本。
  • This specimen is richly variegated in colour.这件标本上有很多颜色。
6 specimens 91fc365099a256001af897127174fcce     
n.样品( specimen的名词复数 );范例;(化验的)抽样;某种类型的人
参考例句:
  • Astronauts have brought back specimens of rock from the moon. 宇航员从月球带回了岩石标本。
  • The traveler brought back some specimens of the rocks from the mountains. 那位旅行者从山上带回了一些岩石标本。 来自《简明英汉词典》
7 stout PGuzF     
adj.强壮的,粗大的,结实的,勇猛的,矮胖的
参考例句:
  • He cut a stout stick to help him walk.他砍了一根结实的枝条用来拄着走路。
  • The stout old man waddled across the road.那肥胖的老人一跩一跩地穿过马路。
8 canopy Rczya     
n.天篷,遮篷
参考例句:
  • The trees formed a leafy canopy above their heads.树木在他们头顶上空形成了一个枝叶茂盛的遮篷。
  • They lay down under a canopy of stars.他们躺在繁星点点的天幕下。
9 elongated 6a3aeff7c3bf903f4176b42850937718     
v.延长,加长( elongate的过去式和过去分词 )
参考例句:
  • Modigliani's women have strangely elongated faces. 莫迪里阿尼画中的妇女都长着奇长无比的脸。
  • A piece of rubber can be elongated by streching. 一块橡皮可以拉长。 来自《用法词典》
10 camouflage NsnzR     
n./v.掩饰,伪装
参考例句:
  • The white fur of the polar bear is a natural camouflage.北极熊身上的白色的浓密软毛是一种天然的伪装。
  • The animal's markings provide effective camouflage.这种动物身上的斑纹是很有效的伪装。
11 distinctive Es5xr     
adj.特别的,有特色的,与众不同的
参考例句:
  • She has a very distinctive way of walking.她走路的样子与别人很不相同。
  • This bird has several distinctive features.这个鸟具有几种突出的特征。
12 potent C1uzk     
adj.强有力的,有权势的;有效力的
参考例句:
  • The medicine had a potent effect on your disease.这药物对你的病疗效很大。
  • We must account of his potent influence.我们必须考虑他的强有力的影响。
13 defensive buszxy     
adj.防御的;防卫的;防守的
参考例句:
  • Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题,使她警觉起来。
  • The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。
14 glands 82573e247a54d4ca7619fbc1a5141d80     
n.腺( gland的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • a snake's poison glands 蛇的毒腺
  • the sebaceous glands in the skin 皮脂腺
15 repel 1BHzf     
v.击退,抵制,拒绝,排斥
参考例句:
  • A country must have the will to repel any invader.一个国家得有决心击退任何入侵者。
  • Particles with similar electric charges repel each other.电荷同性的分子互相排斥。
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