Discovering a very rare type of butterfly in Indonesia

Scientists at the Laferov Federal Center for the Study of the Arctic at the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences have discovered a new species of butterfly on the Indonesian island of Flores.

The center's researcher, Vitaly Spitsyn, said in an interview with TASS that this butterfly is fairly large, olive-brown in color, and has spots on its wings.

Vitaly Spitsyn said: “We have monitored a new species of butterfly from the moth family that lives on the island of Flores in Indonesia. The color of the butterfly ranges from brown to olive brown, its wings are pointed, and there are spots on the front wings.” "It's a green butterfly with light tips. It's a fairly bright butterfly," he continued.

This type of butterfly was described based on several existing models from the insect collection of the Russian Museum of Biodiversity. The new species was called Ambulyx labuanensis, and it is similar in appearance to another butterfly of the same species, but differs in the structure of its reproductive organs.

It is likely to be native to the Lesser Sunda Islands, and cannot be discovered anywhere else. The butterfly lives mainly on the island of Flores, which has a high level of biodiversity. Almost nothing is known about its biology, except for the forests it contains.

The scientist noted: “This species is limited to dry monsoon forests, and these forests are rapidly shrinking in area, but it is still possible to discover these butterflies in Flores. We also described the species from the humid mountain forests of this island, and they are on the verge of extinction within the next ten or so years.” "The next 20 years, and this butterfly is lucky to last longer."

Butterflies belonging to the moth family are somewhat similar to hummingbirds in terms of their behavior. It can pollinate flowers using a long tube. However, the life cycle and biological features of most Asian butterfly species remain a mystery to entomologists.

Depending on the scientist, there may be other species in the Lesser Sunda Islands that cannot be discovered elsewhere, especially on Flores. Animals and insects reproduced there over millions of years without mixing with other Asian animals and insects.