12-13-2024 10:23am

TU GRAD DISCOVERS

Hunt Valley Life Staff

A Wild Discovery

Lohitashwa Garikipati identified a new species of praying mantis.

By Kristen Yeung, UC DAVIS

Lohitashwa Garikipati just discovered a new species of praying mantis.

The entomologist said his passion for insects ignited during his studies at UC Davis. “It’s hard to pick just one important experience, but being involved in research at the university’s labs was instrumental in shaping my career,” he said. He initially started as a biology major and decided to focus on entomology.

He added that Phil Ward’s summer field course, nicknamed Bug Boot Camp, helped validate his decision to switch to entomology. “It taught me how to design my own research project and manage a large collection, all while learning about insect diversity,” he said. Garikpati got his first museum experience working at the Bohart Museum of Entomology on campus, doing outreach. “Bohart’s amazing. They love connecting with the public and making the research available as much as they can for people,” he said.

After completing his undergraduate degree, Garikipati attended Towson University for another bachelor’s, before moving on to his current Ph.D. program, run by the American Museum of Natural History. It combines the academic experience with hands-on research opportunities within the museum itself. “It’s the only museum-based graduate program of its kind in the U.S., if not the world,” he said.

Visiting Arizona after graduation with friends, Garikipati stumbled upon a distinct mantis species. Three years later, he was sent a sample of the same species and realized it was novel through sample comparison. The mantis is distinguishable by the bright yellow or reddish gold coloration inside of the four legs, in combination with black and red hind wings and a black-striped abdomen. The mantis had been collected before but hadn’t been recognized as a novel species. “It was funny because I never set out to discover a new species,” he said. “It was a gradual realization after comparing specimens and observing color variations that hadn’t been documented before.”

Now, as a first-year Ph.D. student, Garikipati balances a myriad of responsibilities. No day is the same for him, and his tasks range from conducting live animal research to managing his mantis colonies. Right now, he is trying to build up the mantis colony numbers in hopes of running behavioral studies. Despite Garikipati’s hectic schedule, he said his dynamic workplace keeps him motivated. “Every morning when I walk in, I feel that rush of excitement — it’s like a shot of caffeine,” he said.

Looking ahead, Garikipati said he dreams of leading his own lab, focusing on biological questions centered around mantises. “There aren’t many mantis researchers out there, but I want to change that,” he said.