La Jornada: New species of moth found, named Pyralis papaleonei, in reference to Pope Leo XIV

In the mountains of Crete, a stunning limestone mountain range located in western Greece, a new species of vibrantly colored moth was identified. The researchers responsible for the discovery named her Pyralis papaleoneiin reference to Pope Leo XIV, highest authority of the Catholic Church.

The moth reaches about two centimeters with its wings spread and one of its most distinctive features is its purple forewings with orange spots and white stripes. It is found in mountainous habitats, between 1,000 and 1,200 meters high. So far the host plant and its first life stages are unknown.

The discovery, published in the magazine Lepidopterological notedetails that researchers from the Tyrolean and Finnish State Museums of Natural History and the Bavarian State Collection of Zoology collected adult specimens using light traps, during June. It was differentiated from other related species based on its morphological characteristics and by genetic analysis.

In interview with The DayPeter Huemer, director of the study at the State Museum of Tyrol, said that “the beauty of the moth, together with the already existing names of related species that refer to dignitaries, was one of the initial inspirations for naming it.”

However, he explained that the main motivation was that “the Pope has taken a firm and energetic stance on climate and environmental issues. With this dedication, we wish to support these initiatives and also encourage him to place biodiversity at the center of his teaching.”

In a context of accelerated loss of biodiversity, the expert said that with this name they wanted to remember that, according to the Bible, the first task given by God to humanity was to name all animals. “In contrast, we are driving species to extinction before they even receive a name.”

“To my knowledge, the naming of species after popes – or even high ecclesiastical dignitaries – has not occurred in butterflies and moths, at least not in the past 100 years or more,” Huemer said.

Although Europe is one of the most studied regions of the world, around 200 previously unknown moth species have been identified in recent decades. For researchers, the discovery of Pyralis papaleonei shows that even in well-studied regions there are still species to be discovered.