Even in the intensively researched insect world of Europe, even “bigger” new discoveries are apparently possible: researchers report on the unusual discovery story of a butterfly species that even represents a previously unknown genus. As early as the 1980s, an amateur entomologist had picked up the two specimens in Croatia, which have now come into scientific focus. But the newcomer still puzzles the experts. So far, the butterfly, which is probably active in winter, has not been rediscovered and thus examined in more detail. But the researchers hope that this will soon be possible.
We are far from fully grasping the world's insect diversity - every year more previously unknown species are scientifically documented. But they usually come from regions of the world that have not yet been researched. In Europe, however, entomologists have been closely examining insects for a long time. Nevertheless, interesting new discoveries are still possible here, as shown by the current case reported by the international research team led by senior author Peter Huemer from the Tyrolean State Museums.
Discovered in a collection
The Austrian amateur entomologist and later co-author Toni Mayr was the first to notice the strange butterfly. He discovered it while looking through a butterfly collection he had just acquired. Mayr was unable to assign the cream-colored, approximately three centimeter-long butterfly to any known European species or even to a genus. He then turned to experts who were also surprised and so further research was carried out. The original collector of the mysterious butterfly was first identified: The find came from another Austrian amateur entomologist – Robert Hentscholek. As he reported, he found the butterfly in a place in southern Dalmatia in the early 1980s - at an unusual time: in March.
There were originally three specimens that came from two separate visits to the coastal site this month, according to the finder's information. Hentscholek had now also passed on the other two butterflies. As it turned out, one specimen ended up in the Natural History Museum in Vienna, but the whereabouts of the third remained unclear. The scientists now had at least one male and one female specimen available for their investigations. This allowed them to take a close look at the body features of these strange butterflies. They also managed to obtain some DNA from the prepared specimens for genetic analysis.
A strange winter butterfly?
As the study results made clear, it is not just a new species - the characteristics cannot be clearly assigned to any known genus of butterflies. A largely independent systematic position emerges from the anatomical peculiarities and genetic evidence. The researchers rule out the possibility that this could be an introduced species. Accordingly, the newcomer represents a new genus from the butterfly family of peepers, which has so far escaped European entomology. The team also expressed the special nature of the find with the scientific name: the butterfly was given the name Mirlatia arcuata, where Mirlatia is a fusion of two Latin terms that refer to the surprise effect.
However, the butterfly remains a mystery case. During a new search in March, no further specimens were discovered at the site. The researchers explain that the flying season may have already been over during the event because spring had set in unusually early. “It is possible that Mirlatia arcuata is a cold-adapted, winter-active species that would have to be searched for in the middle of winter,” explains Huemer. He and his colleagues now hope that the butterfly can still be rediscovered. This could then provide insights into his lifestyle and, using “fresh” DNA, more precise insights into the newcomer’s family relationships would be possible, according to the scientists.
Source: Pensoft Publishers, specialist article: ZooKeys, doi:
10.3897/zookeys.1183.110163