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Millennium Bug found by CSIRO Entomologists
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The Real Millennium Bug
Dateline: 01/06/00
The world waited cautiously on January 1, 2000 to see if the millennium bug would "bite" computers across the world. While the bug has largely turned out to be ephemeral, entomologists at the CSIRO Entomology research center in Australia announced the discovery of the "real" Millennium Bug. The bug is a small water strider that feeds on flies and other small insects.
The bug is mostly found in mountain streams at high altitudes. Like other striders, it lives on the surface of the water in the streams. Currently it is estimated that the bug has only been found at eight distinct locales in Australia. The bug is being classified in a new genus in the family Veliidae. Other bugs in this family can be found on oceanic islands and in many tropical regions of the world.
The Millennium Bug is new to science and has some unique characteristics. The bugs have an evolutionary adaptation that allows them to "glide across" the water without breaking the surface. They are literally "walking on water."
The exact scientific name for the bug hasn't been made public as scientific proceedings for naming are not yet complete. The scientific and the common name for the bug will be Millennium Bug.
Scientists estimate that much of the biological diversity in Australia remains undiscovered. Continued long term work is needed to uncover the full spectrum of diversity on the continent.
The researchers were studying water striders as a means of monitoring the quality of freshwater in the region. Insects can be a good predictor of the overall quality and health of the local environment. The researchers were seeking to identify all current species of striders in the area and discovered the new bug during the process.
What do you think? Is Millennium Bug an apt name for this insect? What is your estimate for the percentage of species that have yet to be discovered? Come on over to the Biology Forum and share your thoughts, opinions and feelings. Till next time...
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