The new species, dubbed "Johngarthia cocoensis”, was discovered by Robert Perger and Rita Vargas of University of Costa Rica and Adam Wall of Los Angeles County Natural History Museum."

According to investigators, the main characteristic of Johngarthia cocoensis is its large size. It lives in the land part of the Cocos Island, in holes dug into the soil and feed predominantly on grasses and seeds.

"The similarity with other species in the Western Pacific indicates that larvae (which develop in the sea) may have crossed to Cocos Island by sea currents," which adapted to the habitat to grow into a new species.

Cocos Island, located off the coast of Colombia, but in territorial waters of Costa Rica is the only island in the Western Pacific that has a humid tropical forest climate and a wide variety of animal species.