Phytotelmatrichis osopaddington facts for kids

Phytotelmatrichis osopaddington is a super tiny type of beetle. It belongs to a family called Ptiliidae, also known as featherwing beetles. These beetles are famous for being some of the smallest insects in the world! This specific beetle is only found in Peru, a country in South America. It was even named one of the top 10 new species discovered in 2015!

Why This Beetle Has a Special Name

The name osopaddington was given to this beetle to honor Paddington Bear. If you know the stories, Paddington Bear was "born" in "darkest Peru."

The scientists who named this beetle wanted to bring attention to an important issue. They hoped to highlight the need to protect the homes of animals and plants in Peru. This includes the spectacled bear, which is a real bear species that lives in Peru. Their homes are often split up into smaller pieces, which makes it harder for them to survive.

What This Beetle Looks Like and Where It Lives

This amazing beetle is incredibly small. It is only about 1 millimeter long! That's roughly the size of the tip of a sharpened pencil.

P. osopaddington lives in special places called phytotelmata. These are small pools of water that collect inside certain plants. For example, some plants have cup-shaped leaves or parts that can hold rainwater. The beetle makes its home in these tiny plant-made ponds. It especially likes plants from the order Zingiberales, which includes plants like ginger and bananas.

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In Spanish: Phytotelmatrichis osopaddington para niños