A new genus of butterflies is being popularized after getting its name from the famous villain Sauron from the "Lord of the Rings" book series by British author J. R. R. Tolkien. The presence of black rings on its bright orange hindwings reminds me of the iconic all-seeing eye.
A New Group With an Unusual Name
According to BBC News, the name was chosen by Dr. Blanca Heurtas, senior curator at the Natural History Museum in London. Dr. Huertas hopes that giving the unusual title to this group of insects will help get the attention of researchers to study this underappreciated group. There are two species under this genus, Saurona triangular and Saurona aurigera, and many more discoveries are expected to join them.
"Naming a genus is not something that happens very often, and it's even more rare to be able to name two at once. It was a great privilege to do so, and now means that we can start describing new species that we have uncovered as a result of this research," said Dr. Huertas.
The description was published in Systematic Entomology journal in a study focusing on butterflies' data sequencing. These insects are not the first animals to be named after Sauron because the all-seeing glowing eye was also used in naming a dung beetle, a frog, and a dinosaur.
The famous Eye of Sauron is portrayed in the fictional story as a blazing orange eye gazing over Middle Earth. It has since been used to symbolize the power of the Dark Lord's penetrating scrutiny.
Other "Lord of the Rings" characters are also used as references in naming many species and even entire genera. In 2006, a species of Diplura (two-pronged bristletails) was named Gollumjapyx Smeagol, inspired by the fictional character Gollum.
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System of Naming Butterflies
Naming animals after fictional characters may draw skepticism, but it is sometimes done intentionally. The museum explains that taxonomists can intentionally use names drawn from pop culture to draw the public's attention.
Butterflies are among the most widely studied insects, but more interest is given to those with the most colorful and distinctive characteristics, as confirmed by the Natural History Museum.
Classifying the butterflies into genus and species also faces challenges due to their physical traits that sometimes overlap between each group. With the advancement in genetics in DNA sequencing, scientists can finally distinguish butterflies by their genes and appearance.
Studying butterfly species helps to reveal more information, especially about the rare and endemic groups. With the threat of extinction on its way, proper classification and research are good steps to start with. Dr. Huerta explains, "There are also many other butterfly and insect groups that need attention so that they can be better understood and protected."
Currently, the Natural History Museum holds a collection of more than 5.5 million butterfly specimens.
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