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Amazing viper-caterpillar

  • 04-09-2011 8:52pm
    #1
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 5,279 Mod ✭✭✭✭


    This is one of my favorite insects of all time; I wrote about it several times for different websites including Listverse. Can´t have enough of it :D

    The Hemeroplanes triptolemus caterpillar lives in Mexico, Central and South America, in rainforests. The adult moth is plain-looking although quite large, but the caterpillar is one of the most impressive mimics in the world. When threatened, it inflates the front part of its body, which transforms to resemble a tree viper's head, complete will shiny eyes, scales and even what resemble the viper's heat-sensing pits.

    Needless to say most animals (including some humans) prefer to run away as fast as they can instead of staying and finding if it's a real viper.
    The caterpillar goes as far as to imitate the movements of a snake that is about to strike.

    Here's the moth:

    Hemeroplanestriptolemusmdj.jpg

    And here's the larva:

    Hemeroplanescaterpillar.jpg

    tumblr_ljvoeheQJo1qz6jrko1_400.jpg

    moth0202.jpg

    sphinx_caterpillar1b.jpg


Comments

  • Registered Users Posts: 1,315 ✭✭✭snowstreams


    That would have me running away as fast as possible :o One amazing insect alright.


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,528 ✭✭✭ShaShaBear


    That is fricking awesome!


  • Administrators, Computer Games Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 32,074 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Mickeroo


    That is truly amazing.


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,528 ✭✭✭ShaShaBear


    To think some people would consider us the superior species, things like this never cease to amaze me. That is so convincing!


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    I don't want to take away from the viper caterpillar which is awesome, but we have cool ones in Ireland as well.

    How about Lobster Moth


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