Photo credit: Mospriroda / mos.ru (CC BY 4.0)
A new species of butterfly discovered in Laos was named in honor of the Russian scientist: the Ustyuzhanin cocoon moth (Radhica ustjuzhanini), TASS reports. Russian entomologist Pyotr Ustyuzhanin is considered a world-class specialist on certain families of butterflies.
It was discovered by specialists from the Laverov Federal Research Center for Integrated Study of the Arctic of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
According to junior researcher Vitaly Spitsyn, the butterfly lives in the southern and central part of the Annam Mountains in Laos and Vietnam. It may also be found in Cambodia.
The Ustyuzhanin cocoon moth is a butterfly whose grass-green wingspan reaches five centimeters. The wings have many small brown spots and thin stripes. The butterfly resembles another species - the Elizabeth cocoon moth, but they are very different at the genetic level.
Spitsyn discovered a new cocoon moth on the Bolaven plateau; the butterfly lives at an altitude of a kilometer and is nocturnal.
The scientific expedition was one of the results of cooperation between the Arctic Center and the National University of Laos. The universities signed an agreement on cooperation in 2023. Another expedition is planned for next summer, which also promises to be very interesting.
Scientists in Laos work in remote areas, but the locals are friendly and treat Russians well.
Russkiy Mir
