Scientists from the Natural History Museum, London have described a new genus and species of parasitic wasp found within the Museum's collections, and named it as a birthday present for Sir David Attenborough.
The study, led by Dr Gavin R. Broad, Principal Curator, Insects, Natural History Museum London gives new insights into one of the least understood groups of wasps and highlights the scientific value of museum collections.
The name Attenboroughnculus tau pays tribute to Sir David Attenborough, whose work has inspired generations, including many of those working at the Museum, to appreciate and protect the natural world. The naming coincides with Sir David's 100th birthday on May 8 and reflects his profound influence on biodiversity research and public engagement with science. The species name tau refers to a striking 'T' shaped marking on the insect's abdomen.
Attenborough has famously highlighted parasitoid wasps in his documentaries, including memorable sequences in The Trials of Life, where he described them as 'body snatcher wasps.' His storytelling has brought attention to organisms that are often overlooked due to their small size or unusual life histories.
Dr Gavin Broad said, 'When I was far too young, I learnt about taxonomy from David Attenborough's "Life on Earth" series and resolved to be a taxonomist. Amazingly, I ended up a taxonomist, so I have Sir David to thank for that.'
The newly described insect is both a new species and a new genus because it is so distinct from its closest relatives that it cannot logically fit into any established genus. It measures just 3.5 millimetres in body length and was originally collected in 1983 in the Valdivia Province of Chile, a country Attenborough has featured the diverse and extreme landscapes of in several of his documentaries.
Despite being collected over 40 years ago the wasp's unusual characteristics were only recently spotted by volunteer Augustijn De Ketelaere whilst they were undertaking a detailed examination of the ichneumonid collections. Researchers then identified a unique combination of anatomical traits that separate it from previously known genera including a strongly curved abdominal segment, subtle toothlike structures on the ovipositor, which is used to deposit eggs, and unique wing and leg morphology. Its discovery increases the number of known genera in this rare subfamily to four.
The discovery of Attenboroughnculus tau serves to highlight the value of museum collections. As the Natural History Museum continues to digitise and work towards the NHM Unlocked programme, which will deliver a new collections, science and digitisation centre, it is hoped that these efforts to revisit and reexamine could reveal countless new species, particularly among insects and other small organisms.
Attenborough fans visiting the Museum can enjoy Our Story with David Attenborough, the Museum's first ever immersive experience until August. In the experience Sir David draws on his lifetime of exploration to tell the incredible tale of people and planet. And as summer approaches and visitors enjoy our recently reimagined gardens, they will also see a quote from Attenborough installed in bronze lettering "The future of the natural world, on which we all depend, is in our hands." a message is echoed in the naming of this new genus of tiny wasp.
Jennifer Pullar, Science Communications Manager at the Natural History Museum, London, and co-author concluded "We hope to inspire global scientists to take another look in their collections to see if there is something small that could contribute to our collective understanding and therefore the future of our natural world."
The paper, The description of a new genus of Pedunculinae (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae) from Chile and a key to the world genera , is published in the Journal of Natural History.
