Caurinus tlagu

Sikes & Stockbridge, 2013

snow scorpionfly

Caurinus tlagu is a minute in the , described in 2013 from Prince of Wales Island, Alaska. It is the second known in the Caurinus, a relict group whose fossil record extends to the period over 145 million years ago. The species has been proposed as potentially illuminating the evolutionary origins of due to its morphological similarities and phylogenetic position.

Pronunciation

How to pronounce Caurinus tlagu: //kaʊˈraɪnəs ˈtɬɑːɡuː//

These audio files are automatically generated. While they are not always 100% accurate, they are a good starting point.

Identification

Distinguished from its sister Caurinus dectes by visible morphological features and oxidase II gene sequences. The only other member of the , C. dectes, occurs in Washington and Oregon. The combination of tiny size, -like appearance, absence of , reduced or absent , and specific separates it from all other .

Appearance

Minute reddish- measuring 1.5–2.3 mm in length. Body covered with and sparsely distributed soft hairs. profile resembles a . absent; reduced or completely absent. lacking in both sexes. Female reduced to pad-like structures; male forewings extend only to first abdominal . five-segmented, hairless, with . with fourth and fifth segments widest; first two segments . with two positioned below .

Habitat

Coastal forested locations supporting leafy liverworts. Documented from open clearcut spaces, tundra, areas between trees, and heaths with alpine trees.

Distribution

Known only from Prince of Wales Island, Alaska, USA. The only confirmed locality is the locality in coastal forest .

Diet

Feeds on leafy liverworts (Marchantiophyta) growing in coastal forests.

Behavior

Exhibits hopping . Video documentation shows active hopping similar to .

Human Relevance

Discovery involved crowdsourced identification through Facebook, demonstrating the potential of social in taxonomic research. The specific epithet honors Tlingit heritage of Prince of Wales Island, with "tlagu" meaning "ancient" in Tlingit, acknowledging both the and the apparent great age of the .

Similar Taxa

Caurinus dectesSister and only other member of ; distinguished by morphological features and oxidase II gene sequences; occurs in Washington and Oregon rather than Alaska
fleas (Siphonaptera)Superficially resembles in size, color, and profile, but is not a and belongs to different (); wingless condition and hopping represent

More Details

Discovery context

Discovered by graduate student Jill Stockbridge during thesis research on Prince of Wales Island. Initial identification uncertainty led to posting on Facebook, where Michael Ivie recognized the . This represents an early example of crowdsourced taxonomic identification via social .

Evolutionary significance

Fossil evidence indicates the Caurinus dates to the period, over 145 million years ago. The group's and phylogenetic position may help elucidate the evolutionary origins of ().

Etymology

The specific epithet "tlagu" derives from Tlingit language, meaning "ancient," honoring the place of occurrence, its people and , and the apparent great age of the .