Australian researchers identified New species of native bee It has small horns and a “demonic” appearance, Curtin University reported on Tuesday this week during an investigation in the Goldfields mining region in the country’s west.
insect called “Mega Chili (Hackeriapis) Lucifer”The Perth (Western Australia)-based organization says the name comes from the Latin word Lucifer (‘light-bearer’) and is playfully derived from the character in the popular TV series of the same name.
”The woman had small horns on her face. I was watching the “Lucifer” series at the time, and the name was perfect. Plus, I’m a huge fan of the character,” explained researcher Kit Prendergast, author of the findings cited in the statement.
Scientists said DNA tests confirmed that the male and female specimens they found belong to the same species. Did not match anything registered in the database It’s not even in the museum collection.
The discovery was published in the magazine ”Hymenoptera Research Journal” The paper focusing on this type of insect (Journal of Research on Hymenoptera) is the first within this group of honeybees in more than 20 years and highlights the following points: What we still know little about native pollinators Australian.
“This indicates that Even in areas threatened by mining, there are still creatures to be found.Like the goldfields,” Mr Prendergast said, warning that a new species of bee and the flower it pollinates, Marianthus aquilonarius, an endangered species native to Australia, could be at risk from habitat loss and climate change.
The Goldfields region is located in the outback of Western Australia. Approximately 600 kilometers east of Perth, It is an important center for the mining of gold, nickel and other minerals, but it is also home to a unique ecosystem of vast expanses of bushland and desert, home to endemic flora and fauna.
According to researchers, “Many mining companies have not yet conducted research on native bees“This discovery coincides with Australian Pollinator Week, which celebrates the importance of bees, butterflies and other insects in maintaining ecosystems and producing food.
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