Defensive-structures
Guides
Cibdelis blaschkei
Cibdelis blaschkei is a North American darkling beetle in the subfamily Stenochiinae. The immature stages were first described in 2014, revealing distinctive defensive structures and saproxylic ecology. The species inhabits forested regions of California, where larvae develop in soft rotten dry wood of dead branches. Both larvae and pupae possess urogomphi—abdominal armature that can be raised and curved forward as antipredator defenses. The complete life cycle has been documented through rearing adults from pupae with associated larval exuvia.
Norape sorpresa
Norape sorpresa is a recently described species of flannel moth in the family Megalopygidae, first characterized by Wagner and Matson in 2022. Like other members of its genus, the caterpillars possess urticating hairs that can deliver painful stings when touched. The species belongs to a group of moths known for their concealed defensive structures beneath soft, hair-like setae. As a newly described taxon, detailed information about its biology and distribution remains limited.