Bizarre insect found in one of deepest caves on the planet can fly in total darkness - and researchers think it may use its LEGS to feel the way
New species has large wings and long front legs that may act as 'feelers' This suggests it can fly, which no obligatory cave-dwellers are known to do Before, it was long thought that only bats can fly in complete darkness ByCheyenne Macdonald For Dailymail.com Published: 16:15 EST, 30 May 2016 | Updated: 19:03 EST, 30 May 2016 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3616876/Bizarre-insect-one-deepest-caves-planet-fly-total-darkness-researchers-think-use-LEGS-feel-way.html A bizarre creature discovered deep in a Croatian cave could upend the long-held principles of subterranean flight. It's long been thought that bats are the only animals capable of flying in total darkness. Now, researchers have found an insect with a combination of features that all point to blind flight, suggesting it may be the first flying obligate cave-dweller in the world. The insect was discovered in the Lukina jama–Trojama cave system in Croatia, at a depth of nearly 1000 meters. Lukina jama is the 14th deepest cave in the world. In a recent paper the researchers explain that the discovery challenges previous beliefs that only bats can fly in complete darkness A bizarre creature discovered deep in a Croatian cave could upend the long-held principles of subterranean flight. With pale colour, reduced eyes, and long legs, the researchers explain that the insect is in many ways a 'typical cave animal.' But, the presence of large wings makes Troglocladius hajdi unique The insect was discovered in the Lukina jama–Trojama cave system in Croatia, at a depth of nearly 1000 meters. Lukina jama is the 14th deepest cave in the world. With pale colour, reduced eyes, and long legs, the researchers explain that the insect is in many ways a 'typical cave animal.' But, the presence of large wings makes Troglocladius hajdi unique. In a recent paper, published to the journal Plos One, the researchers from Norway, Germany, and Croatia explain that the discovery challenges previous beliefs that only bats can fly in complete darkness. Cave-dwelling creatures are divided among three categories: troglophiles, troglobionts, and trogloxenes. While trogloxenes are 'accidentally' found in caves, using them for shelter and staying close to the light, the other two types are specially adapted to subterranean life. Of the 21,000 cave-dwelling taxa in the world, there are no known flying troglobionts. These spend their entire lives in the caves, while troglophiles – like bats – are able to survive outside. The researchers haven't yet witnessed the creature in flight, but they say its physical features are indicative of this capability, despite its classification as a troglobiont. 'The combination of strongly reduced eyes and large, broad wings appears to be unique among troglobiotic organisms and might indicate that the species is able to fly slowly or hover in the total darkness of the cave,' the authors wrote. The long forelegs might serve as 'feelers' if they are stretched forward during flight and the large halteres might help the insect maintain balance.' For the most part, cave-dwelling insects either lack wings entirely, or have reduced wings. The researchers used sticky traps to collect the insects, and found that some of them ended up in the middle of the strips. This suggests that 'they fly at least occasionally,' the researchers explain. The species doesn't fit within any previously described genus, and researchers say T. hajdi may be parthenogenetic, reproducing asexually without the need for fertilization. These types of animals are typically found in harsh environments, where mating is difficult. In the expedition, the team only observed females. As T. hajdi was found deep within the cave in a highly isolated location, the researchers say there's little chance they could communicate with life on the outside. Though more research needs to be done to observe the creature's behaviour, the findings support theories that these caves are home to 'extreme subterranean biodiversity.'
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