CRYSTAL CATERPILLAR (ACRAGA COA)

CRYSTAL CATERPILLAR (ACRAGA COA)

If you suddenly see a great beauty gem lying on a green and very juicy (eg mangrove) leaf, take the time to believe in his incredible luck. Transparent and pure droplet may not treasure as usual caterpillar, called “Crystal”.

This fantastic creatures – just the larva, which later becomes a mole Dalceridae: showy orange and fluffy butterfly. Photographed her recently Gerardo Aizpuru, scuba diving instructor and amateur photograph wildlife. It happened in Mexico, near Cancun.

Acraga coa (name sounds so squeaky tracks in Latin) loves warm and humid tropical climate, so it can happen in the forest wilds of South and Central America and the Caribbean. It looks like lots of crystal beads, which seem to accurately and precisely matched hand the real master – a professional jeweler. It is because of these many droplets that later grow soft pile, which will cover the body of the future Dalceridae after pupation.

Crystal caterpillar is very small, its length is only about 25 mm. Therefore, it is difficult to notice. By this and see it prevents masking, which creates transparency: it is a piece in which it is located, can be seen through the body of a track, so it actually merges with the background. Issue was only reds dots suspiciously in one place and visible experienced eye.

The species “crystal” larvae are very much more than 80. All of them have in common is that they are very sticky, have the same oval shape and curved spines with various patterns and colors. Some caterpillars Dalceridae painted very bright, some have no color at all and are transparent. The bright color of some of them – a puzzle for scientists. After a bright color in the animal world, as a rule – a sign of toxicity representative, it deters predators. But Crystal caterpillar completely harmless, it is not toxic and does not even sting hitters.

Equally puzzling and purpose round spikes, resembling jelly on the back of these things. Adhesive cones quite simple tear or even nip off, they are easily broken without causing any harm to the offender or significant damage to itself larvae. Somehow this trick a long tail resembling a lizard, which she readily sacrifices for the sake of their lives.

The study of these tiny gem "beads" raises many questions. For example, in one experiment in a glass petri dish for observation put some ants and our mysterious crystal larva. For ants caterpillars – a kind of goodies they eat too fast. But this time was different. Ants his mustache – antennas carefully “examined” Acraga coa, but refused to attack and retreated to the side. Only a couple of them tried to bite jelly body, but their teeth stuck into jelly, so they are forced to retreat and cleanse your jaw from mucus.

Translucent body Acraga coa, created by nature, and reminiscent of Japanese research group of scientists headed by Atsushi Miyawaki. They are trying to create a special chemical compounds that could discolor any biological tissue and turn it into a transparent one. Perhaps the genes of living “pearls” to help them.

Nature World (http://natureworld.ru/babochki/kristalnaya-gusenitsa-acraga-coa.html)