Insects with strange head shapes
The body of an insect is divided into three main parts: head, thorax and abdomen. The thorax is made up of 3 thoracic segments, including the front thorax carrying the forelimbs, the remaining two segments forming a mass with wings and two pairs of legs.
For most insects, the front thorax usually has an unremarkable shape, however, with the group of insects called Hornhead beetles, it transforms into very peculiar shapes that are not seen in any other species. any other species.
Hornhead beetles are a group of insects of the order Membracidae, they are distinguished by having the upper part of the anterior pectoral segment (pronotum) change into many very strange shapes, with a threatening effect. disguise or imitate the appearance of other animals.
Hornhead beetles are arboreal species that use their long, pointed mouth as a needle to poke and suck fluids from the stems of plants. They have a symbiotic relationship with ants by secreting a sweet-tasting juice that is a favorite food for the ants, in return the ants protect the Hornheads from predators.
In the world, only about 3,200 species of hornhead beetles have been discovered in the world, belonging to 3 families (Melizoderidae, Aetalionidae, and Membracidae), in which the Membracidae family is the most common. They are distributed mainly in tropical countries, only 3 species have been discovered in Europe. Vietnam is a country with high biodiversity, but there is almost no research on this group of insects.
Despite its small size, the strange head shape of the Hornhead beetle always attracts attention and appeal to nature lovers. Here are some introductory images of this strange head-shaped insect from sources collected on the internet:
Ảnh: shadowshador/Flickr
The head transforms like a bunch of poisonous fruit, has the effect of "warning" the enemy (Photo: whyevolutionistrue)
