A tiny native bee with devil-like facial horns, named Megachile lucifer, has been discovered in Western Australia's Goldfields region. The species was identified during surveys of a critically endangered wildflower. This find highlights gaps in knowledge about native pollinators amid threats like mining.
In the Bremer Range between Norseman and Hyden, researchers spotted the unusual bee while surveying the critically endangered wildflower Marianthus aquilonarius. The female bee's distinctive small horns on her face caught attention, leading to its naming as Megachile (Hackeriapis) lucifer. The name draws from the Latin 'light-bringer' and its demonic appearance, inspired by the Netflix series, as explained by lead author Dr. Kit Prendergast, a Curtin Adjunct Research Fellow in the School of Molecular and Life Sciences.
Dr. Prendergast described the discovery: "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." DNA barcoding verified that the male and female specimens belonged to the same unknown species, unmatched in databases or museum collections. This marks the first new member of its bee group described in over 20 years.
The bee was observed pollinating the wildflower and a mallee tree in the same small area, raising concerns for both. Dr. Prendergast noted risks from habitat disturbance, mining, and climate change: "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 realize they're there."
The research, published in the Journal of Hymenoptera Research, underscores the urgency of studying Australia's native bees, especially in mining-threatened areas. Support came from the Atlas of Living Australia, Goldfields Environmental Management Group, and USDA Agricultural Research Service.