Scientists Discover Nine New Species Overlooked in Museum Drawers
Summary
Scientists identified nine new butterfly species at the Natural History Museum in London. These were found by examining the museum's many pinned specimens and comparing old and modern DNA. The new species come from places like Colombia, Peru, and Brazil.Key Facts
- Scientists found nine new butterfly species at the Natural History Museum in London.
- These butterflies come from regions like Colombia, Peru, Brazil, and French Guiana.
- Researchers used DNA analysis to identify species that were previously confused with others.
- The museum's lepidoptera collection holds 12.5 million specimens, including butterflies.
- Butterflies in the genus Thereus were re-evaluated, increasing known species from five to several more.
- Some newly identified species were named based on the regions they were found in, such as T. cacao.
- The project's goal is to aid conservation by understanding more about butterfly diversity.
- The study results were published in a scientific journal called Zootaxa.
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