Latest news with #Satyriumsemiluna
Express Tribune
07-05-2025
- Science
- Express Tribune
Scientists discover new butterfly species after 40,000 years of isolation
Listen to article Scientists have discovered a new butterfly species, Satyrium curiosolus, in Canada's Alberta Waterton Lakes National Park, following groundbreaking genomic research that revealed its 40,000-year evolutionary isolation. The butterfly, long misidentified as Satyrium semiluna, is now recognised as a distinct species based on genetic, ecological, and behavioral evidence. With a wingspan of just over an inch and muted brown coloring, S. curiosolus lives exclusively on the Blakiston Fan, a prairie-grassland habitat unlike the sagebrush ecosystems of its relatives. It depends on silvery lupine (Lupinus argenteus) for larval development and has a unique mutualistic relationship with Lasius ponderosae ants—providing them honeydew in exchange for protection. A new study published in ZooKeys found that S. curiosolus has extremely low genetic diversity and high historical inbreeding. Despite these traits, researchers believe the butterfly has maintained a stable population, similar to how island species like the Channel Island fox have purged harmful mutations over time. Researchers warn that climate change could threaten this isolated species. Genetic rescue options are limited due to its distinctiveness and potential reproductive incompatibility with related species. Conservationists are now exploring the possibility of establishing additional populations to safeguard its future. 'This is a textbook example of how genomics is transforming conservation and species discovery,' said co-author Julian Dupuis of the University of Kentucky. The study highlights the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration between scientists, conservationists, and Parks Canada. The discovery of S. curiosolus underscores the need to protect cryptic biodiversity and adapt conservation efforts to address species uniquely vulnerable to environmental change.
Washington Post
26-04-2025
- Science
- Washington Post
Scientists identify new ‘curiously isolated' butterfly species
Scientists have discovered a new butterfly species in the Canadian Rockies, they report in ZooKeys. The Satyrium curiosolus, or 'Curiously Isolated Hairstreak,' lives up to its name. Although it looks like another species, its distinctive genome and ecology suggest it may have been genetically isolated from other butterflies for up to 40,000 years. Until now, the species has been confused with a similar species, Satyrium semiluna, also known as the Half-Moon Hairstreak. Both species of butterfly are small with brownish-gray wings. A genetic analysis of butterflies found along Blakiston Fan, an area where a river channel widens in Alberta's Waterton Lakes National Park, showed a distinct species present only in that area. Though it looks like the Half-Moon Hairstreak, the new species has surprisingly unique genetics and ecology. The researchers added the 'curious' to the newly discovered butterfly's common name because of its uniquely 'small population size and high degree of long-term isolation,' the study says. That isolation is reflected in the butterflies' genome, which suggests the species has been both isolated and interbreeding for about 40,000 years. S. semiluna is considered endangered in Canada because of its small range and population size. The researchers suggest the newly discovered species be subject to the same conservation status, especially because of its lack of genetic diversity. It is unclear whether the newly discovered species can breed with other Satyrium species, they say. Because the rare butterflies may not be able to mate with their similar-looking counterparts, the researchers write, attempting cross-breeding may be harmful. They recommend further monitoring and assessment to determine how best to help the species survive. 'For now, the Curiously Isolated Hairstreak reminds us that even the smallest and most overlooked species can hold extraordinary scientific and conservation significance,' the researchers say in a news release.
