A new genus of butterfly has been discovered and named after the iconic villain from The Lord of the Rings, Sauron. The Natural History Museum of London announced their discovery and named the new genus “Saurona.” The butterflies have orange wings and eyespots similar to the Eye of Sauron. The species have been named Saurona triangula and Saurona aurigera.
Why Saurona?
The senior curator of butterflies at the museum, Dr. Blanca Huertas, said that the naming of the butterflies was a fun way to make people pay attention to the beauty of the species. Through the quirky name, the museum aimed to bring more awareness to science and Earth studies.
“It shows that, even among a group of very similar-looking species, you can find beauty among the dullness”, noted Huertas.
Scientists believe that giving newly discovered creatures fun and fascinating names would draw more attention from people. Before this, Australian scientists named a new insect after the popular Pokemon franchise.
Saurona isn’t the first villain to have creatures named after it. Sauroniops, the dinosaur, and Nyctimystes sauroni, the frog, were also named after the antagonist. The naming of species after fictional characters is considered a significant honor.
Lord of the Rings News
While Saurona’s discovery is exciting for lovers of nature, so is the news that WB Discovery plans to develop more Lord of The Rings movies. The upcoming animated movie, War of the Rohirrim, is set for release in 2024. Moreover, The Lord of the Rings: Gollum video game is releasing on May 25.
Conclusion
The discovery of a new genus of butterfly is always exciting and contributes to our knowledge of the natural world. The Natural History Museum of London’s decision to name this newly discovered genus after the infamous Sauron also helps to shed new light on the species. By giving them a fun name, they hope to attract more attention to the beauty of these creatures and increase awareness for scientific studies.
After all, one does not merely discover a new species without naming it after something exciting!
