Scientists at the Natural History Museum in London have described a new genus and species of parasitic wasp, naming it after the legendary British naturalist Sir David Attenborough.
The insect, officially dubbed Attenboroughnculus tau, originates from Chile and was identified within the museum’s existing vast collections.
The study, led by the museum’s Principal Curator of Insects, Gavin Broad, was recently published in the Journal of Natural History. The discovery offers fresh perspectives on one of the least understood wasp groups and highlights the immense scientific value of museum archives.
Measuring only 3.5 millimeters in length, the insect was classified not just as a new species but as an entirely new genus because its anatomical features are so distinct they do not logically fit into any previously known category.
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Although the wasp was originally collected in 1983 in Chile’s Valdivia province, its unique characteristics remained unnoticed for decades. It was only recently identified by Augustijn De Ketelaere, a specialist entomology volunteer, during a meticulous review of the museum’s insect holdings. Researchers noted a singular combination of traits, including:
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A sharply curved abdominal segment.
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Subtle tooth-like structures on the ovipositor (the organ used to lay eggs).
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Uniquely shaped wings and legs.
This finding brings the number of known genera within this rare subfamily to four.
The naming serves as a tribute to Sir David Attenborough, whose work has frequently highlighted the biodiversity of Chile. Attenborough famously brought the world of parasitic wasps to the public eye in his documentary series The Trials of Life, where he memorably described them as “body-snatching wasps.”
For Gavin Broad, the tribute is deeply personal. “When I was very young, I learned about taxonomy from David Attenborough’s Life on Earth series and decided to become a taxonomist,” Broad stated. “Incredibly, I ended up becoming a taxonomist, so I owe that to Sir David.”
