Cooloola monster facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cooloola monster |
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| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Cooloola
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| Species: |
propator
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The Cooloola monster (Cooloola propator) is a very special insect that lives underground. It's a type of orthopteran, which means it's related to grasshoppers and crickets. It's so unique that scientists created a whole new family, called Cooloolidae, just for it!
Scientists first found this insect in 1980. It was discovered in Great Sandy National Park in Queensland, Australia, by a scientist named David C. Rentz. Later, other types of Cooloola monsters were found in different parts of Queensland.
What Does It Look Like?
The Cooloola monster is a strong insect that lives underground. It has very short antennae (feelers) that look like a string of ten tiny beads. This is unusual because most insects like it, called Ensifera, have much longer antennae with 30 or more segments.
Male and female Cooloola monsters look different. The male is brownish and has a hard, armored body. The female, however, has a softer body and is usually whitish, just like the young insects.
Males have short wings and can see well with their eyes. Females don't have wings at all, and their eyes are flatter with fewer parts. Their mouthparts are also special. They have a knife-shaped part and small, long jaws. These mouthparts suggest that the Cooloola monster is a hunter, eating other small creatures. In a related species, this knife-shaped part is even used for digging!
Their legs are perfect for burrowing. The back legs have flat spines that help them dig through the sand. The front and middle legs are about the same length, while the back legs are a bit bigger. The shape of their legs and the spines are different between males and females. Males have long, flat feet, while females have shorter, less flat feet. The male has a thin body, but the female's body is round and has a very short ovipositor (a tube for laying eggs).
How Does It Live?
Scientists don't know much about the daily life of the Cooloola monster. Males are sometimes seen above ground at night. However, females seem to stay underground all the time.
These insects live in sandy soil near streams. You can often find them under Australian sheoak trees. Sometimes, they are found hiding under stones or logs.
