Genitals under the microscope: seven new species of frog-like insect discovered

Seven species of a frog-like insect that were discovered in a rainforest have been confirmed as new to science following an examination of their genitalia.

The previously unknown species of leafhopper, belonging to the genus Batracomorphus, were found during fieldwork in Uganda by Dr Alvin Helden of Anglia Ruskin University.

The name Batracomorphus derives from the Greek for “frog-shaped”.

These leafhoppers are mostly green, have large eyes and jump using their long hind legs, which are tucked alongside their bodies like frogs.

One of the biggest challenges faced by Dr Helden was confirming that the species were new to science.

Leafhoppers of this genus look almost identical and the only reliable way to distinguish species is by examining their genitalia.

Leafhoppers follow the “lock and key” mechanism of reproduction, where the male genitalia, the key, is uniquely shaped and only the male and female genitalia of the same species will fit each other.

These complex structures, made out of the same tough material as their exoskeleton, mean that successful mating can only occur between leafhoppers of the same species, preventing hybridisation.

The seven new species are the first new species of Batracomorphus to be recorded in Africa since 1981.

Before their discovery, 375 species of Batracomorphus were known worldwide, with two of these recorded in the UK.

The seven new species were all discovered using light traps in rainforest above 1,500m altitude in Uganda’s Kibale National Park.

Dr Helden, of the Ecology, Evolution and Environment Research Centre at Anglia Ruskin University, said: “Leafhoppers are beautiful, endearing creatures.

“Although some can be pests, and are associated with crops such as maize and rice, overall leafhoppers are a really undervalued group of herbivores.

“They are an important source of food for birds and other insects, and their presence is a sign of a healthy ecosystem.

“Finding these new species has taken a lot of painstaking fieldwork in the rainforest, dealing with heat and humidity, but it is incredibly satisfying to find species previously unknown to science – it makes all the hard work worthwhile.”

He said he named six of the leafhoppers in Greek, after their distinctive features or where they were found, and named the seventh to honour his late mother, who inspired him.

Dr Helden said the species Batracomorphus ruthae “carries a very personal meaning”, adding: “It honours my mother, Ruth, who I lost in 2022.”

“Ruth was a scientist, who worked in a hospital laboratory,” he said.

“She bought me my first microscope, which I still have, and encouraged my love of science from the very beginning, so naming a species after her feels like the most fitting tribute I could give.”

Details of Dr Helden’s discoveries are published in the journal Zootaxa.