Many planthopper nymphs produce waxy filaments from glands on their abdomen thought to provide camouflage as well as potentially help evade predators - a predator may try to grab the filaments, which break off, allowing the nymph to escape unharmed.
The study found that the average time between a new species being described and it appearing for sale online was only eight years, with some species appearing for sale online less than a year after becoming known to science. According to one study cited by the authors, more than 20 newly described species had their entire wild population collected after description.
