南非惊现新种蟑螂 跳跃能力堪比蟋蟀

Scientists in South Africa have discovered a new species set to send shudders around the world - jumping cockroaches. 来自南非的科学家们的发现可能会让整个世界为之一振：他们发现了极具跳跃天赋的“小强”。

The previously-unknown insect was found leaping around in undergrowth inside the Table Mountain National Park near Cape Town.

这种在之前从未被人类所知的生物是在南非开普敦的桌山国家公园的灌木丛中所发现的。

And while millions of homeowners and bug-haters might wince at the thought, the discovery has been hailed a scientific triumph.

这大概会使得不少住家户与讨厌昆虫的人们恨得咬牙切齿，不过这在科学领域中却是一次值得欢呼的发现。

This month the jumping cockroach - nicknamed the 'leaproach' - was named one of the top 10 new species for 2011.

这种擅于跳跃的蟑螂有着“leaproach”的绰号，在本月被列为了2011的十大新物种之一。

The unusual creature was first spotted by South African biologists Mike Picker and Jonathan Colville.

这种非同一般的生物是由南非的生物学家Mike Picker和Jonathan Colville最先发现的。

Professor Picker, who works at the University of Cape Town, today told how the zoologists discovered the insect by chance as they searched for flies during a research project.

任教于开普敦大学的Picker教授表示，他们是在一项以苍蝇所目标的研究的过程中所意外发现的。

He said: ‘We were sweep netting and spotted something that at first looked like a grasshopper.

他说：“一开始我们以为网到的是蝗虫。”

‘But when we got it back to the laboratory it became clear it was a cockroach, closely related to the common roach but with sophisticated hind legs and the ability to jump many times its own height.

“不过在带回实验室之后我们才发现这是只蟑螂，与通常所见的蟑螂非常类似，不过后腿非常发达，跳跃能力很强。”

‘For some people it could be an unpleasant thought but in reality the cockroach is misunderstood.

“对一些人来说，蟑螂十分招人厌，但蟑螂其实是被“误解”了。”

‘There are at least 4,000 species of them and of them just two are the kind that live in drains or sewage lines and cause problems for humans.

“地球上至少有4000种蟑螂，仅有其中的两种是生存在污水沟与排水道中，给人类造成困扰。”

The insect has now been added to a list of more than 4,000 known cockroach species - and so far, it is the only one that can jump.

然而就在这4000中蟑螂中，这还是目前所发现了唯一一种能够跳跃的。