Mumbai, November 11: Scientists in Australia have discovered a new bee species in the Goldfields. Notably, the new bee species was discovered while scientists were surveying an endangered wildflower in Australia. Following the discovery, scientists decided to name the new bee species "Lucifer" as it featured tiny devil-like "horns". It is worth noting that the bee "Megachile Lucifer" was found in Western Australia's Goldfields when scientists were surveying a critically endangered wildflower, Marianthus aquilonaris.

It is claimed that the wildflower grows only in the Bremer Range region between the towns of Norseman and Hyden. According to a report in the Independent, researchers who made the discovery noticed that the bee "Megachile Lucifer" was visiting the endangered wildflower as well as a nearby mallee tree. They named the bee "Lucifer" due to its unusual horned face. The name Lucifer is seen as a nod to the bee's devilish look. Dual-Sex Spider Discovered in Thailand: Scientists Find New Species Exhibiting Both Male and Female Traits, Here’s All You Need To Know.

Why Was the Megachile Lucifer Bee Named 'Lucifer'?

Explaining why the new species of bee was named "Lucifer", Kit Prendergast, a bee ecologist from Curtin University, said, "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."

Speaking further, Prendergast said that the horns are found only in the female bee, which is unlike most sex-specific weaponry or ornamentation in animals. The findings published in the Journal of Hymenoptera Research highlight 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 added.

'Lucifer' Bee First New Member of the Bee Group

The bee ecologist also said that the bee and the endangered wildflower (Marianthus aquilonaris) could be at risk from habitat disturbance and climate change, as the new species was found in the same small area as the endangered wildflower. The researchers also conducted a DNA analysis, which confirmed that the specimen of "Lucifer" bee did not 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. Who Was James D Watson? All About the Nobel Laureate Who Co-Discovered the DNA Double-Helix Structure.

Notably, the discovery of the new bee species comes amid Australia’s annual celebration of the crucial role bees, butterflies and other insects play in maintaining healthy ecosystems and food production. Researchers said that the limited known distribution and the short activity season of this species, along with it being associated with a critically endangered plant species in a region which is subject to mining, suggest that it may be a species of conservation concern.

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