New Species on the Loose

With increasing trips to the field, a new (to Hawaii) genus of stomatopod has been found - it's possible these little guys are invasive but, based on genetic information, they've likely diverged from their Australian relatives quite some time ago. Could they be another endemic species? We are currently working on identifying them more thoroughly and understanding their habitat preferences. Weighing in at an astonishing 0.02g with a total length less than 1cm, these little guys are avid hunters of tiny prey. Their mesmerizing eyes can only be seen by those looking very closely for them!