Lanternfly adults and nymphs, Pyrops candelarius,
Fulgoridae, Hemiptera
Found in southeast Asia, these lanternflies suck sap from trees using a long proboscis thatās kept tucked back under the body when at rest (seen in photo 6). It was once thought that they emitted light from the snout-like protrusion on their head called the cephalic process, but this is a myth. Size reference:
itās important to note that while the male babirusaās tusks CAN grow back into their skulls and kill them, they usually donāt! normally the tusks curl as they grow, granting a male babirusa a healthy 7-12 years of life in the wild.
for some unfortunate babirusa dudes though, the tusk curl justā¦ doesnāt happen. these poor wild pigs do eventually die if their tusks grow long enough!
no one is sure why this tusk disorder is so common in babirusa, but we can all wince really hard in sympathy.
