DISCOVERY NAMED IN HONOR TO FRANCIS WALKERÂ - "Walkeriella miraculosa"
The species name miraculosa is a feminine Latin noun in singular nominative meaning wonderful. This discovery that occurred in Refugio Amazonas is of the utmost importance since it is not just a new species but a new genus for science. This species is not a tiger moth (Arctiinae) but is a primitive family of Lepidoptera, butterflies. The participation of the Wired Amazon team was very helpful for this discovery: Daniel Couceiro, Juan Diego Shoobridge, Nicole Abanto, Maria Alejandra Castro and Adela Indirago.
This new genus is named for Francis Walker, a British entomologist, who described some Neotropical Hepialidae species in the 19th century. The name follows the tradition of Druceiella, Dugdaleiella Grehan & C. Mielke, Hampsoniella, Kozloviella Grehan & C. Mielke, and Pfitzneriella Viette. The gender of the name is feminine.
SPECIMEN DETAILS
- Sex: Male
- Reproduction: Sexual
- Life Stage: Adult
- Wingspan 32mm
- Length 14mm
COLLECTION DETAILS
- Collectors: Juan Grados
- Habitat: Lowland rainforest
- Sampling Protocol: Light trap
- Elevation: 225 m
GEOGRAPHY
- Country: Peru
- Province/State: Madre de Dios
- Region/County: Tambopata
- Sector: Condenado
- Exact Site: Albergue Refugio Amazonas
- Lat/Lon: -12.875, -69.4097
TAXONOMY
- Identifier Juan Grados
- Identification Method: Morphology
- Identifier Institution: Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Museo de Historia Natural
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Class: Insecta
- Order: Lepidoptera
- Family: Hepialoidea
- Genus: Walkeriella
- Species: Walkeriella miraculosa