Ceracuticulus olivinus

“Olive waxy-skin”

Kingdom
Papyrae
Division
Chartoniphyta
Class
Occlupanopsida
Order
Ephemerodectales
Family
Tridentidaceae
Genus
Ceracuticulus
Species
C. olivinus
External morphology

Glossy and fragile integument, thin lateral tufts. Size 21.4 mm x 22.2 mm.

This curious occlupanopsid has a glossy coating and an olive-green hue with various markings.  It was Discovered in Auckland, New Zealand by field researcher R. Parker. Its host is unknown, though some other species have been recorded in Australia. The shiny integument is theorized by some scholars to be part of its mimicry, helping it blend in with members of phylum Plasticae. Still others have posited that a slippery surface helps it evade capture by excited occlupanologists, slipping through their fingers in its attempt to reach the next stage of its life cycle.