New butterfly species to be named after Sir David Attenborough

A new species of satyrid butterflies discovered in Southern America will be dedicated to Sir David Attenborough. The new species is part of Euptychia, a genus in the Nymphalidae (brush-footed or four footed) family.

The butterfly Euptychia attenboroughi can be found in Venezuela, Colombia and Brazil. The proposed English name is the Attenborough’s black-eyed satyr. “We name this butterfly to honour the great English naturalist, author and TV presenter, Sir David Attenborough, in gratitude for opening the eyes and hearts of millions to the natural world through his inspiring and edifying work,” said Dr Andrew F.E. Neild from the Natural History Museum in London.

E. attenboroughi’s atypical wings initially led researchers to think they had found a new genus.

Dr Shinichi Nakahara, from the Floridian Museum of Natural History, said: “It was a surprise for us that DNA data supported inclusion of this new species in the existing genus Euptychia, since this species lacked a distinctive structural character which was considered to be shared by all members of the genus.”

Dr Neild added: “Although we are a large team from several countries from across four continents and speaking different languages, we have all been deeply influenced and inspired by Sir David’s fascinating and informative documentaries.”