Kenneth Glad
A newly described moth from Crete’s western mountains has been named in honor of Pope Leo XIV. Researchers say the find adds to the island’s record of endemic species and points to the continuing need to identify wildlife before it can be protected.
Scientists have identified Pyralis papaleonei, a moth currently known from the White Mountains, or Lefka Ori, in western Crete, according to a study in Nota Lepidopterologica by Peter Huemer, Lauri Kaila and Andreas H. Segerer.
Popular Science describes the insect as the Pope Leo moth and notes that the name reflects the pontiff’s public concern for climate and environmental protection.
The study says researchers confirmed the moth as a separate species by examining its wing pattern, reproductive anatomy and DNA barcode, standard methods used to tell closely related moths apart.
Papal tribute
The species was named in tribute to Pope Leo XIV, with the researchers linking the choice to his environmental advocacy.
“The Pontiff is a strong advocate of climate and environmental protection, and we hope that his voice may serve as an example for humanity,” they wrote in the study.
The name also fits a broader pattern in the Pyralis regalis species group. Other related moths carry names linked to rank or office, including regalis, princeps and cardinalis.
The paper describes P. papaleonei as a purple-toned moth with narrow white markings across the forewings and orange patches.
Males examined in the study had forewings measuring 7.5 to 9.4 millimeters, while one recorded female measured 10 millimeters.
Still much to document
Most adults were collected at light in June, according to the study. One specimen from October could mean the moth has a longer flight season than currently known, or that it produces more than one generation.
Its host plant and early life stages have not yet been identified. The paper reports that the species has not been observed near the coast and appears tied to mountain habitats, with most specimens collected at around 1,000 to 1,200 meters.
About 700 moth species are discovered each year, many in tropical regions.
Against that backdrop, the Cretan find shows that new species can still emerge from European landscapes that scientists have studied for generations.
Huemer told Popular Science: “We are facing a global biodiversity crisis, yet only a fraction of the world’s species has been scientifically documented.”
He added: “Effective conservation of biodiversity requires that species are first recognized, described, and named.”
Sources: Popular Science, Nota Lepidopterologica study by Peter Huemer, Lauri Kaila and Andreas H. Segerer.
