New grasshopper species discovered in Amazon rainforest
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Researchers in Brazil identified four new grasshopper genera and nine new species in the Amazon rainforest, increasing knowledge of a little-studied insect group.
Entomologist Larissa Queiroz began examining scientific collections and noticed many grasshoppers lacked identification. These insects, known as Proscopiini, had sometimes been mistaken for stick insects but belong to a different order. Knowing which species live in a forest is a key step in understanding its biodiversity and protecting it.
Queiroz led a study, published in Zootaxa, that compared the physical characteristics of 51 species to reconstruct their evolutionary relationships. The work also involved redescribing three genera, combining two others, and proposing ten new taxonomic combinations. The researchers compared 80 physical traits, including reproductive structures, to determine how the species relate to one another. Identifying a species can be difficult, sometimes requiring examination of detailed features and comparison with other specimens.
To honor local culture, the scientists named the new species using terms from the Kamarayano indigenous language and references to the Parintins Folklore Festival. For example, Kamara kratxatxa takes its name from a word the Hixkaryana people use for these insects and Kamara, the Great Mother Jaguar in Kamarayano cosmology. Eight of the new species were found in Brazil, with one discovered in Colombia.
These discoveries highlight the importance of documenting biodiversity before species are lost and emphasize that insects are vital components of forest ecosystems.
