![]() These include Macrostyphlus gandalf, a species of weevil Gollum attenuatus, a bottom-dwelling shark and the Hairy-footed Moss Forest Blossom Bat of New Guinea, also known by its official name Syconycteris hobbit. In addition, several dozen other creatures have been given tags that recall various Tolkien characters. A dung beetle, a frog and a dinosaur have all been named after the ruler of Mordor. “Essentially, naming them after key fictional characters helps to pique people’s interest in them, and that is important for their conservation,” added Huertas.īeing labelled after Sauron is a first for butterflies but not for other members of the animal kingdom. However, it is thought that many more undiscovered species exist in the wild. ![]() Īt present, only two species of butterfly of the genus Saurona have been discovered. These have allowed scientists to achieve a new understanding of butterflies, in particular of the sub-tribe known as Euptychiina. This global project has taken more than a decade to complete and has assessed more than 400 species of butterflies using advanced DNA analysis and other techniques. Other scientists involved in the project are based at Harvard University and the Florida Museum of Natural History. Huertas is a member of an international group of researchers that has spent more than 10 years tracking down new butterfly species. ![]() In the UK, three-quarters of all butterfly species are now believed to be in decline, while across the globe they are similarly threatened thanks to widespread habitat destruction, pesticides and accelerating climate change. “By giving them unusual names we can bring attention to what is happening to butterflies, which are in real trouble across the world today.” “Butterflies are under enormous pressure from habitat loss, and we desperately need to identify and study new species before time runs out for them,” said Blanca Huertas of the Natural History Museum in London. View image in fullscreen The Eye of Sauron from the 2001 film The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.
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