OK, so this is unique, and a little gross. A newly discovered insect can only be found one place on Earth – the University of Missouri. In particular, the creatures fancy the plants near its rec center.
In honor of the tiny critters, (members of the Aphid family), campus officials named them after the university: Aphis mizzou. Aw, how sweet.
According to the school’s website, “Aphis mizzou has been found only on the Mizzou campus so far, specifically around the Recreation Center. It lives on St. John’s Wort plants there, said the bug’s discoverer, Ben Puttler, assistant professor emeritus of plant sciences at the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources.” The campus website notes:
He said that since the insects are known only to live on the MU campus, it was natural to name them after Mizzou. Puttler previously discovered six other bugs – one he named for his wife.
… The bug’s uniqueness was confirmed by molecular tests at the University of Illinois. Aphis Mizzou is considered a new aphid because of its five-segmented antenna, shape of the abdomen and its color. Its head, thorax and abdomen are black, but seem to be dusted with a white wax. An individual Aphis mizzou is smaller than a grain of pepper.”
As the school’s website jokes: This bug’s for Mizzou.
IMAGE CREDIT: Christopher Starbuck
Click here to read the full campus release.
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