The bizarre bug that looks like a TROLL: Insect with iridescent tuft of 'hair' discovered in South American rainforest

It may look like something straight from a toy store but this bizarre creature is a new species of insect found living in the South American rainforest. 

The 7mm-long creature is golden  and its elongated body is covered in orange dots and stripes. 

It has hair-like feelers sticking out of its rear which resemble the fuzzy hair of the colourful Troll Dolls, a popular toy in the 1990s. 

The 7mm-wide insect, pictured, was discovered after researchers from the University of Harvard trekked for three weeks to explore the untouched rainforest of southeast Suriname. The unnamed creature is covered in orange dots and stripes. Its feelers are made of wax that protrude from its rear end

Researchers believe the bug is an immature insect called a nymph, possibly fitting into one of four nymph families: Dictyopharidae, Nogodinidae, Lophopidae, and Tropiduchidae.

WHAT IS A NYMPH?

A nymph is an immature insect.

In insects that undergo a gradual metamorphosis, the stage of the life cycle that hatches from the egg is called the nymph.

These insects do not pupate like a butterfly.

Often, the nymph looks like a smaller, wingless version of the adult. The nymph may molt several times to reach adulthood.

Insects that undergo simple or gradual metamorphosis, and have a nymph stage, include grasshoppers and crickets, cockroaches, termites and dragonflies.

Teams from the University of Harvard and museums around the world trekked for three weeks to explore the untouched rainforest of southeast Suriname.

The new nymph was one of 60 new species recorded during the trek.

Princeton's Dr Trond Larsen, who is a tropical ecologist and conservation biologist, spent days studying the creature.

Dr Larsen said: 'I have spent hours searching drawers of nymphs to compare it to other species, but have only been able to narrow it down from 16 to four.'

In insects that undergo a gradual metamorphosis, the stage of the life cycle that hatches from the egg is called the nymph. These insects do not pupate like a butterfly.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2509259/Nymph-insect-iridescent-tuft-hair-discovered-South-America.html#ixzz37kerNYud
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook