Ten rare species named for the first time by the British public - two of the species named by people from the West Midlands
10 August 2010
Emerging from obscurity, ten previously unnamed British species are now enjoying some long-awaited limelight as the results of the competition to give them popular names have been announced.
Thousands of people submitted entries in response to the Name a Species competition organised by Natural England, The Guardian and The Oxford University Museum of Natural History. The competition invited the public to give popular names to ten species of British beetle, bees, jellyfish, shrimps and lichens, all of which are endangered and all of which have until now been listed only in Latin.
The overall winner of the competition was Josh Clare from Market Drayton in Shropshire who imaginatively chose the name Queen's executioner for Megapenthes lugens – a distinctive 'clicking' beetle found only in Windsor Great Park. Josh said “I went for this name because of the link to Windsor and the Royal family. The executioner is to represent that it kills & eats the larvae of others and also because of its black colour – the colour of the hood traditionally worn by an executioner.”
On winning the award, Josh said: "I feel very proud that I have won the right to have named a whole species for eternity, my children's children's children will know about the Queen's Executioner; I'll make sure of it!"
Another winner from the region was Lisa Bassett from Sutton Coldfield who gave the name Witches' whiskers lichen to the species Usnea florida – a lichen with medicinal purposes. On coming up with the name, Lisa said: "The lichen looks hairy, and the witches who would have been making the plant into medicines (at least in the stories) would have been warty and whiskery."
The competition follows the earlier publication by Natural England of Lost life – a report that showed that 430 species have become extinct in England in the last 200 years – and the subsequent call by George Monbiot, author and Guardian comment writer, for a competition to enable the public to become more familiar with the species that we are in danger of losing.
Dr Tom Tew, Chief Scientist for Natural England, said: "This competition set out to inspire the nation, drawing attention to a handful of declining species that have, until now, been without a common name. As a result, the public have let their imagination loose to come up with some wonderful naming suggestions to help put these forgotten species on the map."
The ten winning names are:
- Skeetle(Stenus longitarsis): A beetle that escapes predators using natural "jet skis"
- Sea piglet(Arrhis phylonyx): A deep-sea "pseudo shrimp"
- Queen's executioner(Megapenthes lugens): A distinctive 'clicking' beetle found only in Windsor Great Park, it feeds on the larvae of other insects
- Blue pepper-pot beetle(Cryptocephalus punctiger): A rare leaf beetle whose larvae live in willow leaves
- Scabious cuckoo bee(Nomada armata): A cuckoo bee that lays its eggs in the nests of other bees
- Kaleidoscope jellyfish(Haliclystus auricula): A beautiful stalked jellyfish
- St John's jellyfish(Lucernariopsis cruxmelitensis): A tiny 1cm jellyfish, in the shape of a Maltese cross
- Witches' whiskers lichen(Usnea florida): A lichen with medicinal properties
- Pixie gowns lichen(Peltigera venosa): A lichen that turns green when wet
- Mab's lantern(Philorhizus quadrisignatus): A very rare four spotted ground beetle
The ten new species names were selected from over 3,000 entries by a panel of four judges: Tony Mitchell-Jones of Natural England, Dr George McGavin of the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, Matt Shardow of Buglife and George Monbiot author and Guardian columnist.
Dr Tew continued: "The continued decline of biodiversity in England is a seriously worrying issue as every species matters – from the newly named sea piglet to the more familiar hedgehog. Biodiversity is the foundation of our own existence and we cannot afford to take it for granted, which is why we are getting the issue out from under the microscope and into the limelight."
Dr George McGavin, of the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, said: "People really entered into the spirit of the competition and we had some great names to choose from."
George Monbiot, writer and journalist from The Guardian, said: "Judging this competition was both a lot of fun and very tough, as the standard was so high. Our winners have not only given us names that are practical and distinctive, they have also captured the beauty, magic and mystery of England’s wildlife. By striking a light in the public imagination, I believe these names will make a major contribution towards conserving these species."
The newly named species – alongside their winning names – will be on display at an exhibition at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History.
-ENDS-
Notes to editors
For further information contact: Dean Gallen
Telephone: 0300 060 1079
Email: dean.g.gallen@naturalengland.org.uk
About Natural England
Natural England is the government's independent adviser on the natural environment. Established in 2006 our work is focused on enhancing England’s wildlife and landscapes and maximising the benefits they bring to the public.
- We establish and care for England’s main wildlife and geological sites, ensuring that over 4,000 National Nature Reserves and Sites of Special Scientific Interest are looked after and improved.
- We work to ensure that England’s landscapes are effectively protected, designating England’s National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Marine Conservation Zones, and advising widely on their conservation.
- We run Environmental Stewardship and other green farming schemes that deliver over £400 million a year to farmers and landowners, enabling them to enhance the natural environment across two thirds of England’s farmland.
- We fund, manage, and provide scientific expertise for hundreds of conservation projects each year, improving the prospects for thousands of England’s species and habitats.
- We promote access to the wider countryside, helping establish National Trails and coastal trails and ensuring that the public can enjoy and benefit from them.
