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  Patriots Point Education Department

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Chewbacca, the hairY insect?!

5/6/2016

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M.H. VAN DAM ET AL/ZOOKEYS 2016
Researchers have discovered four new species of weevils on an island near Papua New Guinea. They have decided to name one of them after the famous Star Wars character Chewbacca. Trigonopterus chewbacca is a tiny black, flightless beetle. It's definitely not as big as Chewbacca, but scientists observed that this beetle has dense, hairlike scales covering it heads and legs, which look just like Chewbacca's fur! 

Did you know there are other animals named after Star Wars characters? There is a moth named after Wookies, a wasp named after Yoda, and even a slime mold beetle named after Darth Vader! 


-Science Educator, Malia Cannan
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