Australian scientists have discovered a new native bee species with distinctive “devil-like” horns in the Goldfields region of Western Australia, shedding light on the country’s rich yet still largely undocumented insect diversity.

The newly identified species, Megachile (Hackeriapis) lucifer, was described in a recent study published in the Journal of Hymenoptera Research by a team from Curtin University. Researchers say the bee’s discovery underscores how much remains to be learned about Australia’s native pollinators — many of which are vital to the health of ecosystems and agriculture.

The bee was found during ecological surveys of Marianthus aquilonarius, a critically endangered wildflower that grows only in the Bremer Range, an isolated area on Western Australia’s southern coast.

Lead researcher Dr. Kit Prendergast, an adjunct research fellow at the Curtin School of Molecular and Life Sciences, said the female bee’s unique appearance — particularly its small “horn-like” protrusions on the face — inspired its name lucifer, Latin for “light-bringer,” and a playful nod to its devilish look.

“DNA barcoding confirmed the male and female were the same species, and that it didn’t match any known bees in DNA databases,” Dr. Prendergast explained. “Nor did the specimens I had collected morphologically match any in museum collections.”

This marks the first new species in the Hackeriapis group to be described in more than two decades.

“It really shows how much life we still have to discover, even in areas that are at risk of mining, such as the Goldfields,” Dr. Prendergast said.

The discovery also raises ecological concerns, as both the new bee and the endangered wildflower it pollinates are confined to a small and vulnerable habitat. Mining activities, land clearing, and climate change all pose threats to their survival.

“Because the new species was found in the same small area as the endangered wildflower, both could be at risk from habitat disturbance and other threatening processes,” Prendergast warned.

Australia is home to more than 2,000 known native bee species, though experts believe hundreds more remain undescribed. Many are solitary, nesting in the ground or hollow stems rather than forming colonies like honeybees.

Dr. Prendergast’s discovery of Megachile lucifer adds to a growing body of research emphasizing the importance of protecting native habitats, particularly in biodiversity hotspots like the Goldfields.

“Each new species we discover reminds us of how little we still know about the natural world — and how urgent it is to protect what remains,” she added.

The discovery has already sparked interest among entomologists and conservationists, who say the find demonstrates the intertwined fates of Australia’s unique flora and fauna — and the need to safeguard both from the pressures of human activity. (ILKHA)