British scientist discovers a very strange insect in Uganda

Name a new type of cicada Phlogis kibalensis It was discovered in Kibale National Park in western Uganda. Dr Alvin Helden, from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU) in the UK, was the one who found this new insect species. With a distinct metallic luster and very similar to cicadas, it belongs to the genus named Phlogis.

According to the magazine zotaxa, This type of insect found in the rainforest in Uganda belongs to a group of insects so strange that its closest relative – the genus Phlogis– Last seen in 1969 in the Central African Republic, more than 50 years ago.

The new species has a distinct metallic luster and is very similar to leafhoppers.

British scientist Alvin Helden, a member of Anglia Ruskin University’s Applied Ecology Research Group, was doing field work in Uganda’s Kibale Park when he suddenly discovered this never-before-seen insect species. “Finding this new species is a once-in-a-lifetime feat, especially since its closest relative was found in another country over 50 years ago. I knew it was something very special as soon as I saw it,” said Scientist.

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“Cicadas of this genus, and the broader tribe, look very unusual and are rare to find,” said Dr. Helden, who has been leading tours in Kibale National Park since 2015. He comments that its biology is almost completely unknown, and he does not know what plants it feeds on or the role it plays in the local ecosystem.

The biology of Phlogis kibalensis is almost completely unknown

“There is still much to be discovered, not only about this species, but also about many others, including many still waiting to be discovered,” he asserts. He also mentions the high probability of some species becoming extinct before they are discovered, stressing that “rare species can live anywhere, but deforestation means that it is inevitable that we will lose species before they are discovered.”

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This species is very similar to other leafhoppers, especially in the male reproductive organs in the form of leaves. It is also closely related to cica, although a new species Phlogis kibalensis It measures barely 6.5 mm, much less than the first.