The longest insect species migrating – Univisión

Isola Monica Wiesner : @misolaWies

The dragonfly Pantala flavescens is the species of insect with the world’s longest migration, with the only between these crossing oceans. So say researchers at Rutgers University in Newark, in a study published Wednesday in the scientific journal PLOS ONE.

By examining the genes of specimens in multiple continents, demonstrated that migration transoceanic this species unites them all in one large global population.

Jessica Ware, one of the authors of the study on this dragonfly, affects “confirmed for the first time being played across continents with contiguous populations that spread across the globe”

it is known that the migration of this species of dragonfly exceeds 11,000 miles (18,000 km), travel back and forth between India and west Africa. This distance is comparable to performing whales, which travel about 12,500 miles (20,000 km) in their migration. “But our work suggests it may be even higher, as there [Dragonflies] Pantala in Japan they can share genes with those of Guyana in South America,” says the researcher.

Although the travel bug is multigenerational (the full section is not materialized by the same individual) this does not detract. For an individual can get to go, in his few months, to 3.700 miles (6,000 km) through which grows and reproduces travels. Even the world famous migration of the monarch butterfly traveling distances up to 2,500 miles (4,000 km) in every direction, and does not cross any ocean, is overshadowed by this dragonfly.

” If you see one of these dragonflies here in New jersey that individual could be en route to cross the Atlantic to India, Japan or Korea! “stresses Ware.

specialists identify several reasons why this small insect about an inch and a half accomplished such a feat. On the one hand its hind wings are particularly large and allow you to save energy while flying planning. On the other, they have found other strategies as follow wind currents or take advantage of the pools of water to breed along the way taking advantage rainfall patterns.

This makes this dragonfly is not only the species of insect that makes a longer migration, but many other living beings. “It may be the biggest migrador Pantala between birds after all animals, who currently hold the world record for longest migration”.