Austrian entomologist names newly discovered moth species after wife on 42nd anniversary
Dr Peter Huemer of the Tyrolean State Museum Ferdinandeum in Innsbruck, Austria described a new moth species, Carcina ingridmariae, in the open-access journal Alpine Entomology. The pink and yellow moth, found across the eastern Mediterranean from Croatia and Greece to Cyprus and Turkey, had been mistaken for the common oak carcina for over a century. DNA barcoding revealed genetic differences exceeding six percent. Analysis of the insects' sexual organs confirmed the molecular findings. Huemer, who has described more than 200 species from Europe over 35 years, named the species after his wife, Ingrid Maria, on their 42nd wedding anniversary. The moth has a wingspan of about 2 cm, and its larvae likely feed on various oak species.
The discovery shows how even well-studied regions of Europe continue to yield new biodiversity when modern genetic tools are applied to familiar species.
Source: Striking new moth species, hidden for a century, named to honor 42 years of marriage (eurekalert.org). Spotted via Good Good Good.
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