Butterfly named after a grandmother
Published: Nov. 25, 2007 at 5:34 PM
GAINESVILLE, Fla., Nov. 25 (UPI) -- An anonymous bidder paid $40,800 to name a new butterfly species after a piano-playing, poetry-writing grandmother from Ohio who died 35 years ago.
Following this month's iGavel.com online auction, the unidentified winner dubbed the new species the Minerva owl butterfly after Margery Minerva Blythe of Malvern, Ohio, who lived from 1883 to 1972, The Gainesville (Fla.) Sun reported Thursday.
The butterfly species from Mexico's Sonoran Desert was discovered at the University of Florida this year.
Auctioning off naming rights to the newly discovered species is thought to be the first time a butterfly species' name has been placed up for auction in North America.
Florida Museum of Natural History official Beverly Sensbach told the Sun that having the butterfly named after Blythe represented a way for her grandchildren to honor her. The money paid for the naming rights will go to do further research of Mexican butterflies.
The Minerva title is also more endearing and pronounceable than the specie's given scientific name: Opsiphanes blythekitzmillerae.
Following this month's iGavel.com online auction, the unidentified winner dubbed the new species the Minerva owl butterfly after Margery Minerva Blythe of Malvern, Ohio, who lived from 1883 to 1972, The Gainesville (Fla.) Sun reported Thursday.
The butterfly species from Mexico's Sonoran Desert was discovered at the University of Florida this year.
Auctioning off naming rights to the newly discovered species is thought to be the first time a butterfly species' name has been placed up for auction in North America.
Florida Museum of Natural History official Beverly Sensbach told the Sun that having the butterfly named after Blythe represented a way for her grandchildren to honor her. The money paid for the naming rights will go to do further research of Mexican butterflies.
The Minerva title is also more endearing and pronounceable than the specie's given scientific name: Opsiphanes blythekitzmillerae.
© 2007 United Press International. All Rights Reserved.
This material may not be reproduced, redistributed, or manipulated in any form.
This material may not be reproduced, redistributed, or manipulated in any form.
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