Scientists surveying an endangered wildflower in Australia chanced upon a unique creature instead – a new bee species they decided to name “Lucifer” because of its tiny devil-like “horns”.
The bee, Megachile Lucifer, was discovered in Western Australia’s Goldfields when scientists were surveying a critically endangered wildflower which grows only in the Bremer Range region between the towns of Norseman and Hyden. Researchers noticed the bee was visiting both the endangered wildflower and a nearby mallee tree.
They say the bee’s unusual horned face inspired its name lucifer – a nod to its devilish look.
“The female had these incredible little horns on her face. When writing up the new species description I was watching the Netflix show Lucifer at the time, and the name just fit perfectly. I am also a huge fan of the Netflix character Lucifer so it was a no-brainer,” said bee ecologist Kit Prendergast from the Curtin University.
“These horns are found only in the female, unlike most sex-specific weaponry or ornamentation in animals,” scientists wrote in the study.
The finding highlights the importance of understanding native bees before their habitats are disturbed.
“Many mining companies still don’t survey for native bees, so we may be missing undescribed species, including those that play crucial roles in supporting threatened plants and ecosystems,” Dr Prendergast said.
“Because the new species was found in the same small area as the endangered wildflower, both could be at risk from habitat disturbance and other threatening processes like climate change,” Dr Prendergast, an author of the study published in the Journal of Hymenoptera Research, said.
DNA analysis confirmed that the specimen didn’t match any known bees in DNA databases or in museum collections.
“It’s the first new member of this bee group to be described in more than 20 years, which really shows how much life we still have to discover – including in areas that are at risk of mining, such as the Goldfields,” Dr Prendergast said.
“Without knowing which native bees exist and what plants they depend on, we risk losing both before we even realise they’re there,” she explained.
The discovery comes amid Australia’s annual celebration of the crucial role bees, butterflies and other insects play in maintaining healthy ecosystems and food production.
“The limited known distribution and short activity season of this species, along with being associated with a Critically Endangered plant species in a region subjected to mining, suggested it may be a species of conservation concern,” researchers wrote.
Lucifer is an American fantasy horror television series which revolves around Lucifer Morningstar, or the devil, who abandons hell to run a nightclub in Los Angeles. It is based on a DC Comics character of the same name created by Neil Gaiman, Sam Kieth and Mike Dringenberg.
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