Researchers discovered a new family of primitive moths for the first time since the 1970s, and the elusive winged insects could reveal evolutionary secrets.
The "living dinosaurs," dubbed Aenigmatinea glatzella, have stunning purple and gold wings and reside on Southern Cypress-pine trees (Callitris gracilis) in Australia, specifically on Kangaroo Island, CSIRO reported. The adult moths live for only about one day after emerging from their cocoons; in this time they manage to find time to mate and for the females to lay eggs.
A research team studied the moth's appearance and analyzed its DNA, and the findings revealed the insect's ancient lineage and evolutionary history was much more complex than they had anticipated.
"While the discovery of this new moth strengthens the evolutionary relationships between other primitive moth families, it also suggests that tongues evolved in moths and butterflies more than once," Dr Edwards, an Honorary Fellow with CSIRO's Australian National Insect Collection, said. "Our fauna is so exciting we can still find new primitive species. Australia is so rich in moths that vast numbers still remain to be discovered."
Australia is believed to house at least 22,000 species of moths and butterflies that are still yet to be named by scientists, and in the future the researchers hope to make more findings such as this one, and gain even more insight into the evolution of moths and butterflies.
"CSIRO's Australian National Insect Collection is the world's largest collection of Australian insects and related groups. It is a nationally and internationally significant research resource that contributes to our understanding of biodiversity, and supports research in evolutionary biology, ecology, biosecurity and natural resource management," the researchers noted.
The insect was described in a recent edition of the journal Systematic Entomology.
