Key Takeaways:
- 1. Many insect species have tympanal organs on their legs for hearing.
- 2. Japanese researchers discovered that female stinkbugs of the Dinidoridae family have unique “tympanal organs” that are actually mobile fungal nurseries.
- 3. The organs on the hind legs of Dinidoridae stinkbugs were found to be filled with benign filamentous fungi.
Insects like stinkbugs have tympanal organs for hearing, but Japanese researchers found that the "tympanal organs" on the hind legs of Dinidoridae stinkbugs are actually portable fungal nurseries. These organs are filled with benign fungi that are nourished by substances secreted by the bugs.
Insight: This discovery challenges previous assumptions about the hearing mechanisms of Dinidoridae stinkbugs and sheds light on the fascinating symbiotic relationship between the bugs and the fungi.
This article was curated by memoment.jp from the feed source: Ars Technica.
Read the original article here: https://arstechnica.com/science/2025/11/some-stinkbugs-legs-carry-a-mobile-fungal-garden/
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