Saurona Explained

Saurona is a genus of butterfly belonging to the family Nymphalidae found in the Neotropics. This genus was proposed as a new genus in 2023.

Species

Saurona currently has two species classified within it^[1] but there are thought to be many more undescribed species.^{[2] [3]}

Etymology

Saurona is named after the fictional Sauron, the villain from Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien. Tolkien described Sauron's all-seeing eye as follows: “The Eye was rimmed with fire, but was itself glazed, yellow as a cat’s, watchful and intent, and the black slit of its pupil opened on a pit, a window into nothing.” These butterflies have distinctive eyespots of bright orange and black.^[4]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Euptychiina . Niklas . Wahlberg . nymphalidae.net . 5 June 2023.
2. Web site: Butterfly species named after Lord of the Rings villain Sauron . 7 May 2023 . 7 May 2023 . Rob . Corp . BBC.
3. New group of butterflies named after Lord of the Rings villain Sauron . James . Ashworth . 7 May 2023 . Natural History Museum . 7 May 2023.
4. Web site: 'Rimmed with fire': rare butterfly genus named after Sauron in Lord of the Rings . 7 May 2023 . 7 May 2023 . Robin . McKie . The Guardian.