Scientists have recreated the "song" of an insect that disappeared 150 years ago

A grasshopper-like insect, also called a katydid, known from a single specimen,

kept in the collection of the London Museumnatural sciences. Prophalangopsis obscura was first described in 1869 and has not been seen since. The results of the study indicate that the current habitat of this species may be the cold regions of Northern India and Tibet. 

To try and find out more about where thisthe species can still live, the researchers created 3D images of each insect wing and determined their resonant frequency. With this information, the team recreated the sound of the insect's song.

"The sounds of insects may be related to theirevolution,” says Ed Baker, a bioacoustics researcher at the Natural History Museum in London. “So we can understand why species have certain song frequencies, why these songs are unique, and how habitat has influenced the structure of their songs.”

In the case of P.obscura its low “singing” can be explained by its cold habitat. Bats tend to avoid cold areas during migration and hibernation. This allows the katydids to fly freely without the risk of being eaten. 

The cold climate of northern India and Tibet canbe a suitable habitat for the insect, potentially helping scientists rediscover it. By recreating the long-lost call, the researchers hope it can be used to find the insect in the wild if it still exists.

For the last time P.obscura have been identified in the wild for over a century. The only known specimen of the insect was donated to the museum by British Army officer Sir John Bennet Hersey. This species was later scientifically described by entomologist Francis Walker.

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