Common Name: Miasma Milly
Scientific Name: Prociphilus pollutius
Specimen Length: 66mm
Specimen Sex: Male
First Described: AD 2267
Description and Habitat: Having evolved to feed on environmental pollution this tenacious aphid thrives in particularly noxious habitats, ingesting toxins (its main food source), the byproduct of which is excreted all over its body to produce a distinctive shaggy covering most commonly resembling the lichen known as oak moss. Prociphilus pollutius' feeding mechanism is so proficient, it is considered an ESS (Environmental Status Signifier), an individual’s size and growth rate a direct correlation with surrounding air, water and land quality. Colouration varies widely depending on the chemicals consumed and temperature of their location, but opportunistic camouflage mimicry has also been observed.
It is not known if a specific event caused this indicator species to evolve (it is more likely the result of the many environmental disasters suffered by the USA) but the oldest DNA samples found were in the woodlands of Ohio, leading to speculation the chemical release of the East Palestine train disaster of 2023 may have been a catalyst. Whatever the reason, the continual environmental pollution endured globally over the 20th and 21st centuries allowed Miasma Milly's range to become worldwide, and it is now considered an essential tool in both monitoring and keeping our planet clean.
Reproduction: P. pollutius is only considered mature once its wings are fully formed, and in the wild all adults move to a new location to mate. The females lay egg mats of approximately 700 individuals, the nymphs forming large fungal-looking masses for protection from predators (usually cockroaches and some avian species) as their bodies are still relatively toxin-free at this stage, and therefore digestible to most other animals.
Lifespan: Variable, depending on food supply. Preservation records show that in the 22nd century they were known to live up to 25 years, the largest recorded reaching 16cm in length and 300gm in weight but now environmental pollutants are rare, they are much smaller, some measuring only a few millimetres.
