Colin Purrington

In bizarro beetle news, Vinicius Ferreira and others just published a description of a species from Mexico in which males have NO ELYTRA (and no wings). They named it Xenomorphon baranowskii, referencing the Xenomorph of 'Alien' fame, and Richard Baranowski, the collector. It's very strange. That, and the genus name, will likely ensure that it will show up soon in a Tuesday New York Times blurb. Image was provided by lead author, Vinicius S. Ferreira. #beetle #insect #coleoptera #entomology #lycidae #biology #xenomorph #alien

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/371982101_An_extraordinary_case_of_elytra_loss_in_Coleoptera_Elateroidea_Lycidae_discovery_and_placement_of_the_first_anelytrous_adult_male_beetle

Jul 2, 2023 at 3:41pmWeb
Show threadColin PurringtonJul 8, 2023

Yup. The New York Times picked it up. Xenomorphon baranowskii. #beetle #insect #coleoptera #entomology #lycidae #biology #xenomorph #alien

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/07/08/science/wingless-beetle-alien.html?unlocked_article_code=nqZDUuT8D8KO2fozbn3Uvw6dlrnt-U5KaJ4EsRQcgMorEOQ3LdaYfoFu3eJpI_DfTt9ljFbHfrgfc4mwDjcBDkBJAIeLJ30kZ5BqUVHQL3nriRsUHTeryGmFDNiO36k7VVvR86Y7LNzzvJeeY86wNBo3N8vasPTCEvcU_tX-JTkfO5yxWaELzF22r6bA7FbWzXlw5gp7VwriHyYS_9wPsDgR5KTqgjBfJlHfK1VYTkElI69Gl5jYGx56QMLhOYtOUe6cN7tdWx-Fqgh-C1EvNXjHSAkBArhto-aMkQKLdusF_FoKoG6TF0n1tdvRtJylBhqEFtGblyMlbx6qdwu5&smid=em-share

Missing Wings on an ‘Alien’ Beetle Pose an Evolutionary Mystery

The specimen is the first wingless male beetle ever found.

The New York Times
Show threadneville parkJul 8, 2023
@colinpurrington "Everything is possible with beetles." A lovely conclusion
Show threadColin PurringtonJul 8, 2023
@nev "Everything Is Possible with Beetles" would make a good cookbook title.
Show threadneville parkJul 2, 2023
@colinpurrington …what the shit
Show threaderol_foretJul 2, 2023

@colinpurrington Weird. All the more so as our western European Lycidae are famous and prized for their vivid red-colored elytra.

I guess, it's Cantharoidea final evolutionary step. Elytra have softened to the point, they are no more.

Show threadubiJul 2, 2023
@erol_foret @colinpurrington Cantharoidea is such a weird group. So many fantastically bizarre neotenous females. It was only a matter of time until we found a male that didn't have wings.
Show threadMy Florida Native GardenJul 3, 2023
@colinpurrington
My Evolution professor used to tell us “God must have liked beetles the best, cause (s)he dedicated most of their time to designing them, as a result, they’re the most diverse and abundant species of insects on Earth”.