這種相貌奇特的毛毛蟲是粉紅下翅蛾幼體，這是在澳大利亞雨林地區生活的瀕危滅絕物種。
它們生活在海拔600米高度的平靜亞熱帶雨林，主要棲息附著在Carronia multisepalea藤蔓上，這種向地面延伸的灌木叢為粉紅下翅蛾提供了食物來源和進行繁殖的棲息環境。
除了棲息在昆士蘭州東南部，它們還分布在楠普拉至昆士蘭-新南威爾士交界地區，攝影師呂韋伯稱，目前還需要對該物種進行更多的勘測研究，之前我僅知道粉紅下翅蛾生活在一處山地雨林，今年我又發現另外三處棲息地點，一位同事也發現一處。這樣共發現5處粉紅下翅蛾棲息地點。
澳大利亞新南威爾士州現將粉紅下翅蛾列為瀕危滅絕物種名單之一，這種蛾蟲的繁殖環境十分局限，必須具備毛毛蟲食用植物 - Carronia multisepalea藤蔓，該植物主要生長在亞熱帶雨林。
成年粉紅下翅蛾為了進行繁殖，必須以Carronia multisepalea藤蔓和其它雨林植物作為遮擋物進行隱藏，目前澳大利亞政府正在研究這種蛾蟲的育種過程，計劃進行大量繁殖。
Moth larvae's bony face makes it look fierce (but it's just skullduggery to deter predators)
- Rare animal has teeth-like markings on its head uncannily like a human skull
- Believed to exist in only five locations in the southern hemisphere
If prizes for Halloween costumes were handed out in the world of nature, this scary skull-faced creepy-crawly would surely win.
The extraordinary specimen is the larvae of the pink underwing moth, an endangered species fighting for its life in the Australian rainforest.
Luckily, photograper Lui Weber managed to snap the rare caterpillar, which is characterised by a set of teeth-like markings set between spots that look like eyes with large pupils and scare away predators.
Skeleton key... to survival: The moth's larvae has a natural defence to put off predators
Very creepy-crawly: The pink underwing moth is an endangered species only found in the Australian rainforest
THE PINK UNDERWING MOTH 粉紅下翅蛾
The Pink Underwing Moth has a brown and black body and brown legs.
The forewings are about 60mm in length, grey-brown in colour and have white markings.
The hindwings are dark grey with a small pink patch and seven white spots along the trailing edge.
When at rest the moth resembles a dead leaf.
Found below the altitude of 600m in undisturbed, subtropical rainforest, the species survives on the vine Carronia multisepalea, a collapsed shrub that provides the food and habitat the moth requires in order to breed.
Lui said: 'Sadly this moth is very rare I only know of a single adult seen last year so I do not have photographs of the adult yet.
'This southern subspecies is listed as nationally endangered in Australia.'
All but one of the habitat locations of the moth are in south-eastern Queensland, distributed from Nambour to the Queensland-NSW border, but Lui says more discoveries are being made.
'I was only known to breed in a single location in upland rainforest however this year I have discovered another three locations and a colleague has located one additional site making five locations in total.'
The New South Wales government has placed the caterpillar on its endangered list.
'Potential breeding habitat is restricted to areas where the caterpillar's food plant, a native rainforest vine, Carronia multisepalea, occurs in subtropical rainforest,' it said.
'Adult Pink Underwing Moths require the darkness supplied by the vine and other rainforest vegetation in order to breed.'
The government is now investigating a breeding programme to increase numbers.
It's not much, but it's all vine: The species survives on the Carronia multisepalea vine
Halloween mask: The rare caterpillar is characterised by a set of teeth-like markings set between spots that look like eyes with large pupils
Survival: The unique caterpillar is fighting for its life and has been found in just five locations
Don't mess with me: The markings protect the caterpillar before transforming into a moth |
發表於 2012-11-10 05:23 AM
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第一次回覆也實在令人看得糊塗了 