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Stinkbug Legs: Fungal Nurseries, Not Hearing Organs

11/5/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Researchers found that hind leg structures of female Dinidoridae stinkbugs native to Asia are mobile fungal nurseries, not tympanal hearing organs.
The structures contain thousands of pores filled with benign fungi, not sensory neurons.
The study was led by Takema Fukatsu and aimed to assess leg-position effects on hearing, but revealed the fungal function.
The finding calls for further investigation of the Dinidoridae family, which has received limited scientific attention.

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Story summary

Researchers found that hind leg structures of female Dinidoridae stinkbugs native to Asia are mobile fungal nurseries, not tympanal hearing organs.
The structures contain thousands of pores filled with benign fungi, not sensory neurons.
The study was led by Takema Fukatsu and aimed to assess leg-position effects on hearing, but revealed the fungal function.
The finding calls for further investigation of the Dinidoridae family, which has received limited scientific attention.