I don't suppose we have any entomologist's here?

Don't judge me. These are the things I think about when insomnia strikes.

  • FourteenEyes [he/him]
    ·
    11 months ago

    This part of an insect's face is a sclerite (single piece of chitinous exoskeleton; essentially the equivalent of a bone) called the clypeus, and as far as I can tell, the ridges probably provide structural support for the muscles that engage the sucking action of the "rostrum," which is the name of the beak-like structure their mouthparts form that they use to feed on sap and other plant fluids. Rib-like structures such as this are often places where muscles attach to the inside of exoskeletons. This is just an educated guess, really, I've never dissected a cicada.

    bug-facts I'm not an entomologist, just neurodivergent and specially interested in insects.

    • Dirt_Owl [comrade/them, they/them]
      ·
      11 months ago

      That makes sense tho, awesome.

      I'm not an entomologist, just neurodivergent and specially interested in insects.

      Me too! quagsire-pog It's weird because bugs kind of creep me out but at the same time I find them so damn fascinating.

  • came_apart_at_Kmart [he/him, comrade/them]
    ·
    11 months ago

    not an ENT guy, but took my entire classes and lots of bio/ecology.

    no clue. the high contrast "striping" makes me think it has a visual purpose. like it either "looks like" aggressive teeth to scare potential predators, or induce some other desired behavioral effect.

    that's my out of my ass guess.

      • came_apart_at_Kmart [he/him, comrade/them]
        ·
        11 months ago

        maybe? even though i know a little about cicadas (i'm in Brood X territory) you could honestly tell me the three simple eyes in the center of the head can shoot laser beams, and i would be like, "yeah, ok, makes sense." arthropods are wack af to me.

  • FlakesBongler [they/them]
    ·
    11 months ago

    Because they are the Kamen Rider and it helps to keep their eyes from fogging up

    • FourteenEyes [he/him]
      ·
      11 months ago

      And just like Bajorans, the ingrates refuse to construct Gul Dukat a giant golden statue to thank him for all he did

  • Tychoxii [he/him, they/them]
    ·
    11 months ago

    i dont know but i just learnt they have 5 eyes!

    the two big compound eyes and three smaller non-compound eyes that you can see up there

    • OgdenTO [he/him]
      ·
      11 months ago

      Cicadas are all operatives of the five-eyes spy group

    • Dirt_Owl [comrade/them, they/them]
      ·
      11 months ago

      Most bugs have those three little simple eyes called ocelli to go along with the two big compound eyes! They mostly just sense light, because the big compound eyes can't adjust for light levels like ours.

  • envis10n [he/him]
    ·
    11 months ago

    Since it's spooktober, it is clearly a poorly fit skeleton costume.