Generales

By Andrea Carolina Vargas Malagón, Journalist at UdeA Communications Office 

Biologists from the Universidad de Antioquia have identified two new species in Colombia: the lizard Echinosaura Embera and the moth Tigridania Magdalenae. This discovery enriches the understanding of the country’s biological diversity and carries the UdeA seal.  

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The name Echinosaura Embera honors the Emberá Indigenous people of Panama and Colombia. Photo courtesy of Daniel Vásquez Restrepo. 

“He who has much but doesn’t know what he has… has nothing,” remarked Daniel Vásquez Restrepo, a master in Biological Sciences, recalling a professor’s words from his UdeA days. He shared this reflection while recounting the discovery of Echinosaura Embera, a semi-aquatic spiny lizard found in the Atrato basin, north of Chocó, and in the Darién region, between Colombia and Panama.  

Echinosaura is the genus of lizards that Daniel Vásquez Restrepo, a biologist from Alma Mater, explored during his undergraduate studies in Biology. This initial research laid the foundation for what, seven years later, would culminate in the discovery of a new species for Colombia.  

“In Chocó, we encountered specimens that didn’t match the species we initially identified—Echinosaura Palmeri. From a prior study, we suspected it might be a new species, but we didn’t have enough data to prove it. So, we performed evolutionary and genetic analyses, and the results confirmed that it was indeed a new species of lizard,” said Juan Manuel Daza, curator of the Museo de Herpetología at the Universidad de Antioquia (MHUA) and co-author of the Echinosaura Embera description. 

Daza explained that the researchers were able to confirm the distinct evolutionary histories of the specimens through phylogenetic analysis. “Our detailed analysis revealed that the lizards from the northern part of Chocó to Panama have a separate evolutionary lineage from those in the southern part of Chocó and the Valley. We found that the ancestors of each group are not only different but also quite distant from each other,” he said. 

The discovery of Echinosaura Embera involved studying 130 specimens from all species in the genus. These specimens, preserved in the collections of the MHUA and other herpetological museums in Colombia and the United States, were crucial to the finding.  

Morphologically, Echinosaura Embera differs from its relatives primarily in the arrangement of its tail scales. While Echinosaura Palmeri has scales arranged in two distinct points, Echinosaura Embera features a “V” pattern. Furthermore, male Echinosaura Embera lacks the enlarged hooked spines on the sides of their hemipenes— a characteristic found in Echinosaura Palmeri. These distinctions highlight the unique features of this newly discovered species. 

“Recording these new species is essential for expanding the country’s biodiversity catalog. It allows us to gain a deeper understanding of our environment and the processes that have shaped the incredible phenomena we observe, ultimately helping us protect and preserve them,” said Vásquez. 

Indigenous origin  

Echinosaura is the genus, and the species name Embera honors the Emberá Indigenous people, who inhabit the Darién region in Panama and Colombia, along the Pacific coast of Chocó.  

“We chose this name to reflect the species’ distribution, which closely mirrors the historical territory of the Emberá people. Notably, among the Emberá of western Colombia, there is a subgroup known as Emberá Dobidá, or ‘people of the river.’ The name highlights the geographic overlap and a poetic connection between the ‘people of the river’ and this lizard that lives in the streams,” explained Daniel Vásquez.  

Tigridania Magdalenae: the largest moth species in Colombia

 A pair of Tigridania Magdalenae mating. Photo courtesy of Camilo Flórez Valencia 

Vibrant yellow and red characterize Tigridania Magdalenae, a moth from the Tigridania genus (Kaye) within the Erebidae family. Biologist Julián David Alzate Cano discovered the species with support from researcher Marta Wolff Echeverri, PhD in Biological Sciences and coordinator of the Entomology Group at the Universidad de Antioquia (Geua), along with French entomologist Michel Laguerre. 

“It is a relatively large moth—belonging to the order Lepidoptera—and the largest of its kind in the country. With a wingspan of 6 to 7 cm when fully extended, it is notably robust, with a thorax as thick as a little finger. Its wings are transparent and adorned with black veins, and the thorax and head have the same coloration. The abdomen features yellow scales at the front and red scales at the rear,” explained Alzate. 

The order Lepidoptera, which encompasses butterflies and moths, includes about 160,000 known species, with an equal number yet to be described. While precise figures are unavailable, estimates suggest that Colombia may host up to 30,000 distinct species of butterflies and moths. Among this rich diversity are the wasp moths, recognized for their vivid colors and wasp-like appearances. Colombia is home to approximately 265 species of wasp moths, including this recent discovery. 

The research and the location where the three specimens—two females and one male—were collected suggest that this moth inhabits the Magdalena Medio region of Antioquia. This discovery led scientists to name it Tigridania Magdalenae. 

“To truly appreciate or connect with something, the minimum requirement is for it to have a name. quote from One Hundred Years of Solitude has always stuck with me: ‘The world was so new that many things didn’t have a name, and to refer to them, you had to point.’ It’s amazing that this still happens in biology and will likely continue. Being able to name this species is incredibly valuable, as it paves the way for further research and a deeper understanding,” commented researcher Alzate. 

The Entomological Collection of the Universidad de Antioquia holds the specimens studied. Researchers collected the oldest specimen in 1986 in Rio Claro, located between the municipalities of Puerto Triunfo, San Luis, and Sonsón, in Antioquia. They collected the other two specimens during copulation in March 2012 in El Prodigio, a village in the municipality of San Luis, also in Antioquia.  

Researchers suggest that the vivid colors of Tigridania Magdalenae stem from a common trait among moths in this group—known as wasp moths due to their resemblance to wasps and bumblebees. As caterpillars, they feed on plants containing toxic substances, which make them taste unpleasant. The bright colors likely serve as a warning to predators, signaling that they are unpalatable. 
 
Establishing this as a new species involved detailed research, examining specimens, reviewing existing literature, and consulting specialists to confirm that no one had previously recorded the species. 

“Identifying a new species among the countless others in diverse and abundant organisms like insects is a complex task. It requires in-depth knowledge of the group, a comprehensive search for similar individuals through literature, and examining specimens in collections and illustrated catalogs. Moreover, it involves a detailed descriptive process to identify the traits that set it apart from other known species. According to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, experts in the field must validate the discovery, publish it in a peer-reviewed, widely disseminated scientific journal, and deposit the specimens in a recognized collection. In the case of Tigridania Magdalenae, it meets all the necessary criteria to be officially recognized worldwide as a new species,” explained Professor Wolff. 

Discovering a new species enhances our understanding of biodiversity and highlights the importance of raising awareness about its protection and preservation.  

“Describing a new species not only expands our understanding of biological diversity but also reveals crucial details about the environment in which it exists—such as altitude, climate, vegetation, soil, and humidity. This information is as important as the species itself, as it plays a key role in guiding the protection of these ecosystems,” explained researcher Wolff.