Tiny insect rubs penis to emit 99.2dBa: new record

Scientists in France and Scotland have recorded a tiny water boatman insect ‘singing' at up to 99.2 dBa – the same noise that an orchestra will produce while sitting in the front row. This little insect creates the noise by rubbing its penis against its abdomen.

The process ‘stridulation' has allowed this tiny insect to break records. Journal PLos One documents that the micronecta scholtzi, only 2mm in length can produce a huge noise for their size. They measures the emissions with specialist underwater microphones.

Thankfully, the creatures are underwater, so the noise doesn't disturb people – with 99 percent of the noise being lost when transferred from water to air. Surprisingly, the noise was still audible however to the human ear. Apparently the song is so loud that people can hear them from the bottom of a river.

Blue Whales hold the record for one of the loudest creatures on the planet, hitting 188 dBa, however for such a small insect, the tiny insects produce the loudest noise, relative to their body size.

Kitguru says: The BBC have more information on this record breaking insect.

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