南非驚現新種蟑螂 跳躍能力堪比蟋蟀
來自南非的科學家們的發現可能會讓整個世界爲之一振：他們發現了極具跳躍天賦的“小強”。
The previously-unknown insect was found leaping around in undergrowth inside the Table Mountain National Park near Cape Town.
這種在之前從未被人類所知的生物是在南非開普敦的桌山國家公園的灌木叢中所發現的。
And while millions of homeowners and bug-haters might wince at the thought, the discovery has been hailed a scientific triumph.
這大概會使得不少住家戶與討厭昆蟲的人們恨得咬牙切齒，不過這在科學領域中卻是一次值得歡呼的發現。
This month the jumping cockroach - nicknamed the 'leaproach' - was named one of the top 10 new species for 2011.
這種擅於跳躍的蟑螂有着“leaproach”的綽號，在本月被列爲了2011的十大新物種之一。
The unusual creature was first spotted by South African biologists Mike Picker and Jonathan Colville.
這種非同一般的生物是由南非的生物學家Mike Picker和Jonathan Colville最先發現的。
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.
任教於開普敦大學的Picker教授表示，他們是在一項以蒼蠅所目標的研究的過程中所意外發現的。
He said: ‘We were sweep netting and spotted something that at first looked like a grasshopper.
他說：“一開始我們以爲網到的是蝗蟲。”
‘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.
“不過在帶回實驗室之後我們才發現這是隻蟑螂，與通常所見的蟑螂非常類似，不過後腿非常發達，跳躍能力很強。”
‘For some people it could be an unpleasant thought but in reality the cockroach is misunderstood.
“對一些人來說，蟑螂十分招人厭，但蟑螂其實是被“誤解”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種蟑螂，僅有其中的兩種是生存在污水溝與排水道中，給人類造成困擾。”
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.
然而就在這4000中蟑螂中，這還是目前所發現了唯一一種能夠跳躍的。
