New insect species from Kosovo named after coronavirus

New insect species from Kosovo named after coronavirus

The Potamophylax coronavirus was collected near a stream in the Bjeshket e Nemuna National Park in Kosovo by the team led by Professor Halil Ibrahimi of the University of Prishtina.

IANSUpdated: Wednesday, April 14, 2021, 10:40 AM IST
article-image

London: A team of scientists have named a small caddisfly -- native to a national park in Kosovo -- after the Coronavirus pandemic. The Potamophylax coronavirus was collected near a stream in the Bjeshket e Nemuna National Park in Kosovo by the team led by Professor Halil Ibrahimi of the University of Prishtina.

After molecular and morphological analyses, it was described as a caddisfly species, which is new to science in the peer-reviewed Biodiversity Data Journal.

The insect was collected a few years ago from the river basin of the Lumbardhi i Decanit River. But the new species was described during the global pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2. Its name, P. coronavirus, will thus be an eternal memory of this difficult period, said the researchers.

The researchers also want to bring attention to "another silent pandemic occurring on freshwater organisms in Kosovo's rivers," caused by the pollution and degradation of freshwater habitats, as well as the activity increasing in recent years of mismanaged hydropower plants.

The small insect order of Trichoptera, where P. coronavirus belongs, is very sensitive to water pollution and habitat deterioration. Failure to understand this may drive this and many other species towards extinction, they said.

RECENT STORIES

'No Objection To Extraditing Individuals Of Concern If...': Bilwal Bhutto's BIG Remark On Masood...

'No Objection To Extraditing Individuals Of Concern If...': Bilwal Bhutto's BIG Remark On Masood...

Donald Trump Signs Tariff Letters To 12 Nations; India-US Trade Talks Stall Ahead Of July 9 Deadline

Donald Trump Signs Tariff Letters To 12 Nations; India-US Trade Talks Stall Ahead Of July 9 Deadline

US President Donald Trump Pledges Support After Texas Floods Kill 24; Hundreds Rescued, Dozens Still...

US President Donald Trump Pledges Support After Texas Floods Kill 24; Hundreds Rescued, Dozens Still...

‘Jai Shree Ram’, ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ Slogans Echo In Buenos Aires As PM Modi Gets Grand...

‘Jai Shree Ram’, ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ Slogans Echo In Buenos Aires As PM Modi Gets Grand...

PM Modi Lands In Argentina, To Hold Talks With President Javier Milei (VIDEO)

PM Modi Lands In Argentina, To Hold Talks With President Javier Milei (VIDEO)