General, Research, Technology

New insect species named after Marvel heroes

Despite the fact that scientists from the most diversecorners of the planet are working tirelessly, our planet is still a poorly explored place. Each year, researchers learn about the existence of hundreds of new species of animals and plants. In 2019, the research association CSIRO (Australia) discovered 151 new species of insects, eight plants, two species of fish and three subspecies of birds. The most interesting of these creatures turned out to be five species of insects, which were named after the author of Marvel comics Stan Lee (Stan Lee) and invented by him superheroes: Deadpool, Thor, Loki and Black Widow. According to the researchers, the names were given for a reason - there are many similarities with the discovered insects between the creator of the famous comedians and his characters. The fact that the tiny creatures were named after pop culture icons might sound funny, but it makes a lot of sense.

Do you also see Deadpool's face on the back of this insect?

Content

  • 1 New species of insects
    • 1.1 Stan Lee from the insect world
    • 1.2 Deadpool is a cynical killer
    • 1.3 Black Widow in a leather suit
    • 1.4 Thor - the blonde strongman
    • 1.5 Loki is an elegant deceiver
  • 2 Studying insects

New types of insects

Why insects deserve the honor of beingnamed after Stan Lee and superheroes, BBC News reported. The insects discovered by Australian scientists belong to the Asilidae family. These predatory creatures have large eyes, two wings and elongated bodies. In general, they resemble flies and dragonflies in their appearance. They cannot be found in any place on our planet, except Australia. This is not surprising, because the Australian nature is full of unique creatures - many beautiful spiders were recently discovered there, which would be worth a look for every person. But let's first look at the "comic" insects, because they are still handsome too.

See also: Insects and spiders are rapidly disappearing from the face of the Earth

Stan Lee from the insect world

The first insect was named after Stan Lee -henceforth in the scientific literature it appears as Daptolestes leei. The tiny creature was named after the "father" of the Marvel universe due to its physical resemblance to a respected writer. As a rule, Stan Lee appeared in front of the public wearing large, dark glasses. Also, due to his venerable age, he had a very recognizable white mustache. The discovered insect also has it all, from large, dark eyes to white antennae on the front of the face. Perhaps you will find other similarities between the master and the insect - write in the comments or in our Telegram chat.

Stan Lee and Daptolestes leei

Deadpool is a cynical killer

The second insect was named after the cynicalhero of the comics Deadpool. True, after reading the name of the flying creature, it is rather difficult to guess about this - Humorolethalis sergius. Translated from Latin, this phrase can be translated as "deadly humor." It is derived from the words "wet" (humorosus) and "dead" (lethalis). And the name of one of the most controversial Marvel heroes was given to the insect because it has a pattern on its back that resembles a Deadpool mask. It's simple.

Deadpool and Humorolethalis sergius

Black widow in leather suit

The third insect worth mentioning is"Namesake" of the Black Widow Daptolestes feminategus. Like Scarlett Johansson's character, this one wears a tight black suit. This moment is reflected in the title, because if you divide it into parts and divide it into Latin words, you get "woman" and "skin".

Black Widow and Daptolestes feminategus

Thor is a blonde strong man

The fourth hero of our article is a copy of Thor fromthe insect world - Daptolestes bronteflavus. Translated from Latin, this name can be translated as "blond lightning". Well, what, in the films of the god of thunder, actor Chris Hemsworth plays with light-dyed hair. And in the comics, he is depicted as a blonde strong man surrounded by lightning. A very suitable name for an insect, which also has a predominance of light parts of the body.

Thor and Daptolestes bronteflavus

Loki is an elegant deceiver

Finally, the fifth insect is named afterhalf-brother of Thor, Loki - Daptolestes illusiolautus. From Latin this name can be literally translated as "elegant deception", which perfectly suits the character of a fantastic character. Yes, and in appearance between the insect and the comic book hero there is one similarity - there are no light colors in their image, only darkness.

Loki and Daptolestes illusiolautus

Insect study

According to CSIRO employee Juanita Rodriguez(Juanita Rodriguez) It makes sense that insects are given such recognizable names. Scientists intend to continue observing these creatures, because they can be useful to science. For example, in March 2020, researchers discovered a new species of road wasp that is found only at the site of past forest fires. From the moment of their discovery, they are being monitored - everyone is interested in how their population will be restored and if they can somehow be helped. Scientists also know insects, the venom of which can be used to make medicines for diseases like epilepsy.

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New insects are often named aftercelebrities. Recently, Finnish scientists have discovered a new type of spider, on the back of which there is a drawing in the form of the face of the notorious Joker. This species was named after the actor Joaquin Phoenix, who played this character in the 2019 film. You can read about an unusual spider in this article.