Winged creature — disguised as bird poop — discovered as new species in Brazil. See it
Since the early days of exploration in the Amazon, it seems impossible that all species new to science could ever be cataloged.
As researchers and explorers dive deeper and deeper into the rainforest, collections and records of creatures unknown continue to grow.
But one species has remained hidden for a century as others in its insect family were identified, thanks to its unique disguise.
During the analysis of museum collections from Brazil and the United States, researchers have discovered a new species of brown and white butterfly, according to a study published May 14 in the journal Zootaxa.
The butterfly, named Metron mentor as an anagram for the genus and species, has a fuzzy brown body with white, uneven splotches across its wings.
The butterfly is similar in coloring to other known species, but with additional white spots along the forewings, or upper wings, and a “larger central” white patch on the hindwings, or lower wings, per the study.
“Metron mentor sp. nov. is a skipper easily recognized due to its unique color pattern. Its wings have a dark brown ground color with large white areas, which is not only distinct from all congeners but is uncommonly found in other species of Hesperiina,” the researchers said.
The males of the species rest on a branch or tree with their “wings closed together over the body, which exposes the ventral surface of their hindwings,” according to the study.
In doing so, the back of the butterfly “produces a pattern that looks like a bird dropping, which could be an additional pattern against predators,” the researchers said.
“This new species is currently only known from the western Amazon of Brazil, Peru and Venezuela,” the researchers said.
CORRECTION: This story was updated May 16, 2024, to reflect that the new species is a butterfly.
This story was originally published May 15, 2024 at 2:56 PM with the headline "Winged creature — disguised as bird poop — discovered as new species in Brazil. See it."
