Scientist Names New Group Of Butterflies After 'Lord Of The Rings'

Scientist Names New Group Of Butterflies After 'Lord Of The Rings'

If you're familiar with J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings, you're probably familiar with the Eye of Sauron.

The well-known symbol from the popular film series depicts a fiery orange eye peering over Middle Earth. It's chilling and iconic all at once.

It seems a scientist with the Natural History Museum in London is a fan of Lord of the Rings and Sauron alike as she recently named a new group of butterflies after the Dark Lord antagonist.

Given the butterflies boast bright orange hindwings and dark eyespots, it seems like a fitting name to say the least.

The Saurona species was named by Dr. Blanca Huertas, the Senior Curator of Butterflies at the Natural History Museum.

A study on the new butterfly species was published in the journal Systematic Entomology and describes two members of the genus: Saurona triangula and Saurona aurigera.

According to the Natural History Museum, Dr. Huertas said of her name choice, "Giving these butterflies an unusual name helps to draw attention to this underappreciated group. It shows that, even among a group of very similar-looking species, you can find beauty among the dullness."

You can learn more about the butterflies in the study here.
Malorie Thompson

Malorie works as a writer and editor in Northern California. She's passionate about food, conscious living, animal welfare, and conservation. She's worked with a variety of publications in different sectors but is happiest covering topics close to her heart. When not at her laptop, Malorie can be found enjoying picnics on the beach, hiking in the redwoods, and spending time with her rescue pup, Jax.

Back to blog

Help Animals That Need Medical Care

100% of your donation will fund medical care for pets in need!

1 10
View all