Friday, March 26th, 2010

Tracking an Amphibious Caterpillar

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Reporting in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, entomologists Daniel Rubinoff and Patrick Schmitz, of the University of Hawaii at Manoa, describes 12 new species of caterpillar (Hyposmocoma). These Hawaiian moth larvae can live their lives completely submerged underwater or in bone-dry conditions. Rubinoff says he doesn't know of another animal that can pull this off. (Credits: Footage courtesy of Daniel Rubinoff and Patrick Schmitz. ) Viewed 15114 times. See More Videos

Several newly-discovered species of caterpillar in Hawaii function equally well in water or on land. The caterpillars, all from the moth genus Hyposmocoma, "can breathe and feed indefinitely both above and below the water’s surface and can mature completely submerged or dry," wrote Daniel Rubinoff and Patrick Schmitz in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. "No other insects are able to remain active indefinitely above and below water." We'll talk to Rubinoff about the caterpillars, and what makes them unique in the insect world.