Biology:Saurona

From HandWiki
Short description: Genus of insects

Saurona
Scientific classification e
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Insecta
Order: Lepidoptera
Family: Nymphalidae
Subfamily: Satyrinae
Tribe: Satyrini
Subtribe: Euptychiina
Genus: Saurona
Huertas & Willmott, 2023
Type species
Euptychia aurigera var triangula
Aurivillius, 1929[1]

Saurona is a genus of butterfly belonging to the family Nymphalidae found in the Neotropics. This genus was proposed as a new genus in 2023.

Species

Saurona currently has two species classified within it[1][2] but there are thought to be many more undescribed species.[3][4]

Etymology

Saurona is named after the fictional Sauron, the villain from Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien. Tolkien described Sauron's all-seeing eye as follows: “The Eye was rimmed with fire, but was itself glazed, yellow as a cat’s, watchful and intent, and the black slit of its pupil opened on a pit, a window into nothing.” These butterflies have distinctive eyespots of bright orange and black.[5]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Espeland, Marianne; Nakahara, Shinichi; Zacca, Thamara; Barbosa, Eduardo P.; Huertas, Blanca et al. (2023). "Combining target enrichment and Sanger sequencing data to clarify the systematics of the diverse Neotropical butterfly subtribe Euptychiina (Nymphalidae, Satyrinae)". Systematic Entomology: 1–73. doi:10.1111/syen.12590. ISSN 1365-3113. 
  2. Wahlberg, Niklas. "Euptychiina". http://www.nymphalidae.net/Nymphalidae/Classification/Sat_Sat_Euptychiina.htm. 
  3. Corp, Rob (7 May 2023). "Butterfly species named after Lord of the Rings villain Sauron". BBC. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-65515790. 
  4. Ashworth, James (7 May 2023). New group of butterflies named after Lord of the Rings villain Sauron (Report). Natural History Museum. https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/news/2023/may/new-group-butterflies-named-after-lord-of-the-rings-villain-sauron.html. Retrieved 7 May 2023. 
  5. McKie, Robin (7 May 2023). "'Rimmed with fire': rare butterfly genus named after Sauron in Lord of the Rings". The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/may/07/rimmed-with-fire-rare-butterfly-genus-named-after-sauron-in-lord-of-the-rings. 

Wikidata ☰ Q118897384 entry