Alligator-headed insect spotted near the Amazon: video has surfaced

Insects can sometimes surprise you with very bizarre forms - they can pretend to be a sprig of a plant, a flower, or another more dangerous insect. A tourist vacationing on the Amazon River in South America encountered an insect that had learned to imitate the appearance of a real alligator.

TikTok user with the nickname illumignostic111 posted a video of an unusual creature on his page. It has butterfly wings and a very unusual profile. "Flying lizard," he captioned his find. The insect was very large, almost the size of a man's palm. To see the video, scroll through the news to the end.

In the comments to the post, other users recognized the Surinam lanternfly, the Latin name of the species Fulgora laternaria. This type of insect resembles butterflies, but belongs to the semi-rigid winged and has a characteristic elongated head shape. This species is also incorrectly called a crocodile butterfly.

This is because the Fulgora laternaria has a head that resembles the head of a snake, lizard or even a tiny crocodile. This adaptation allows the creature to ward off predators. The insect camouflages itself in the trees during the day and really blends in well with its surroundings. If any predator will notice it, it should be frightened off by its large (up to 24 mm) head with a characteristic shape. If this does not work, the lanternfly sharply spreads its wings, the pattern on which resembles two eyes, and this is a very reliable defense in the animal world.

In contrast to the crocodile, which the Suriname lanternfly resembles, it is quite a safe creature. Being rather impressive in size (8.5-9 cm in length and 10-15 cm in wingspan), it feeds on plant sap. You can meet this unusual creature in Mexico, Central and South America. The period of activity for the insect is night, so such an encounter in the middle of the day that happened to it can be considered lucky for a wildlife enthusiast.

Earlier OBOZREVATEL told that scientists seem to have established which animal appeared on Earth first.

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