Monkey Slug Caterpillar, Lagarta Aranha(Brazil)

Phobetron hipparchia

Description:

This is the most strange creature I have found in my garden. With about 4 cm, immobile, this guy is a caterpillar.

Notes:

It seems it´s is missing the left back "leg".

1 Species ID Suggestions

bayucca 12 years ago

Monkey Slug Caterpillar

Phobetron hipparchia Apiaí - Portal da Mata Atlântica: Phobetron Hipparchia - Lagarta Aranha

35 Comments (1–25)

Wendy Sherratt Hogan 11 years ago

Wow. Fascinating.

lori.tas 11 years ago

What an impossible creature. Fantastic spotting.

Ashish Nimkar 11 years ago

@Rubens
Organism total ID contains 2 different Categories to eligible this Mission... like here Caterpillar- Arthropods and Monkey- Mammal. Same category total ID is not eligible for this Mission.
http://www.projectnoah.org/missions/1148...

Mimetic Animals of the World is made for Organisms have their form match with surroundings alike camouflage.
http://www.projectnoah.org/missions/8015...

YukoChartraw 11 years ago

Weird, cute and amazing all in one! Great spotting!

rubens.luciano 11 years ago

Ashish,

You mean the "Mimetic Animals of the World" mission ?

Ashish Nimkar 11 years ago

Morphed ID Mission is made by many rangers for worldwide users.

NuwanChathuranga 11 years ago

Awesome series !

C.Sydes 11 years ago

that really is amazing, what an exciting spot

nexttogone 11 years ago

Amazing! I would have named it a Sloth Slug. ") Great find and awesome shots!

rubens.luciano 11 years ago

Thanks Ashish,

Due to the Noah rules of local missions, I cannot subscribe to a local mission. Actually, I cannot even find it, as there is no keyword search for them and only the global missions are visible to everybody. I couldn't find "Organism Morph ID Mission" in global missions (which is why I assume it must be part of a local mission), so it's not possible to include this picture there. This restriction make sense, because in local mission we expect to see "local pictures", but sometimes we want to collect data from the same especies around the world, just to see how they adapt to different countries, and that's is not possible...
Anyway, thanks for the suggestion.

Ashish Nimkar 11 years ago

Welcome Rubens... Your every shot is a feast to learn about this amazing creature... Wonderful spotting.

Harsha Singh 11 years ago

Mind blowing!

rubens.luciano 11 years ago

Thanks Ashish. I will include it in the Organism Morph ID Mission.

Ashish Nimkar 11 years ago

This spotting is eligible for Organism Morph ID Mission....

Ashish Nimkar 11 years ago

Lovely spotting Rubens..!!

Leana Lahom-Cristobal 11 years ago

First time I've seen such creature... Great find Rubens!

Jonathan Guyot 11 years ago

So strange and so unique !

bayucca 12 years ago

About the "missing leg": It is actually not the real leg but some fleshy and hairy lobes or tubes which are not vital organs for the caterpillar. The would be easily disposed after being touched or threatened.