"Lord of the Rings": New Genus of Butterfly Named After Sauron

The Saurona Butterflies

In a nod to the iconic villain of J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" series, scientists have named a newly discovered genus of butterflies "Saurona". These butterflies exhibit black rings on a yellow background on their wings, resembling the all-seeing Eye of Sauron from the books. The Natural History Museum in London reported this based on a statement given to the British news agency, PA.

Currently, there are only two known species in the Saurona genus: Saurona triangula and Saurona aurigera. Researchers believe that there are other species that have yet to be discovered. In addition to analyzing the animals' DNA, they also noted differences in appearance.

Research Project and Publication

The discovery of the Saurona butterflies is part of a larger international research project that examined 400 species. The research was conducted by scientists from the Natural History Museum in London, Harvard University, the Florida Museum of Natural History, and the Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig. The results will be published in the journal "Systematic Entomology".

Unusual Name to Draw Attention

Blanca Huertas, the Butterfly Curator at the Natural History Museum, stated in the PA release that "Giving these butterflies an unusual name helps draw attention to this under-recognized group."

In addition to the Saurona butterflies, there are already a dung beetle, a frog, and a dinosaur named after Sauron.

Overall, the naming of the Saurona butterflies after the villain Sauron adds an interesting element to the world of entomology, and highlights the influence that literature can have on scientific research.