Context

• A new species of ‘twighopper’ or pygmy grasshopper, discovered by Croatian and German researchers in the rainforests of Sri Lanka, has been named after Kerala grasshopper expert.

Cladonotus bhaskari

• The discovery of the Cladonotus bhaskari is based on the photograph of a single specimen taken in 2016.
• The researchers studied it and found it to be distinct from other grasshopper species.
• Cladonotus Bhaskari is the largest known specimen of genus Cladonotus and it is the only known female.
• Its body is robust and dark in colour. The living specimen in dark brown in colour while pale brown when the specimen is dried. It’s whole body, head and legs are covered in fine and minute spine-like tubercles. It resembles tiny twigs hence its also called Twighopper.
• It is also clearly distinguished from other species of the genus by its long and spine-like frontomedial projection and cockscomb shaped promedial projection

Source: Hindustan Times