A new native bee species with tiny devil-like "horns" named Megachile (Hackeriapis) lucifer has been discovered in Western Australia's Goldfields, highlighting how much remains unknown about Australia's native pollinators.
The striking new bee was found during surveys of a critically endangered wildflower Marianthus aquilonarius that grows only in the Bremer Range region, which is between the towns of Norseman and Hyden.
Lead author Curtin Adjunct Research Fellow Dr Kit Prendergast, from the Curtin School of Molecular and Life Sciences, said the female bee's unusual horned face inspired its name lucifer - Latin for "light-bringer," but also a playful nod to the devilish look.
"I discovered the species while surveying a rare plant in the Goldfields and noticed this bee visiting both the endangered wildflower and a nearby mallee tree," Dr Prendergast said.
"The female had these incredible little horns on her face. When writing up the new species description I was watching the Netflix show Lucifer at the time, and the name just fit perfectly. I am also a huge fan of the Netflix character Lucifer so it was a no-brainer.
"DNA barcoding confirmed the male and female were the same species and that it didn't match any known bees in DNA databases, nor did the specimens I had collected morphologically match any in museum collections.
"It's the first new member of this bee group to be described in more than 20 years, which really shows how much life we still have to discover - including in areas that are at risk of mining, such as the Goldfields."
Dr Prendergast said the discovery highlighted the importance of understanding native bees before their habitats are disturbed.
"Because the new species was found in the same small area as the endangered wildflower, both could be at risk from habitat disturbance and other threatening processes like climate change," Dr Prendergast said.
"Many mining companies still don't survey for native bees, so we may be missing undescribed species, including those that play crucial roles in supporting threatened plants and ecosystems.
"Without knowing which native bees exist and what plants they depend on, we risk losing both before we even realise they're there."
The publication of the research coincides with Australian Pollinator Week, an annual celebration of the crucial role bees, butterflies and other insects play in maintaining healthy ecosystems and food production.
The research was supported by the Atlas of Living Australia, the Goldfields Environmental Management Group and the USDA Agricultural Research Service.
Published in the 'Journal of Hymenoptera Research', the full paper, 'Megachile (Hackeriapis) lucifer (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), a new megachilid with demon-like horns that visits the Critically Endangered Marianthus aquilonaris (Pittosporaceae)', is available here: doi.org/10.3897/jhr.98.166350
