A unique creature has been spotted in Western Australia - the Megachile Lucifer bee. It is actually a completely new species of bee, which received the symbolic name "Lucifer" because of its tiny horns, similar to those of the devil.
Points of attention
- Scientists draw inspiration from popular culture, such as the TV series 'Lucifer,' when naming newly discovered species like the Lucifer Bee.
- Australian ecologists emphasize the importance of conservation efforts to protect unique and endangered species like the Lucifer Bee and their habitats.
"Lucifer Bee" - why is it so unique?
It was first spotted in the Goldfields area during a survey of a critically endangered wildflower.
According to scientists, she visited not only this rare plant, but also neighboring eucalyptus trees.
Because this creature had an extremely unusual appearance and "devil's horns," it almost immediately received the nickname "Lucifer."
Ecologist Keith Prendergast from Curtin University explained why they chose such a scary name:
The female had these incredible little horns on her face. When I was describing the new species, I was watching the Netflix series Lucifer—the name just fit perfectly. Plus, I'm a huge fan of the character, so the decision was obvious.
What is also very interesting is that only females can boast such unusual horns.
This is truly impressive, because in most animals, such sexual "decorations" are characteristic exclusively of males.
As scientists point out, the main problem is that many Australian mining companies do not conduct surveys for the presence of native bees, so unknown species may be lost forever.
