Instagram photos of giant water lilies in Colombia lead researchers to new species
Researchers discovered a new species of giant water lily, Victoria colombiana, after identifying unusual photos on Instagram. The discovery was confirmed through satellite imagery and a collaborative expedition involving local Indigenous communities.
Why it matters
This case illustrates how social media, modern satellite technology, and traditional Indigenous knowledge can converge to advance scientific discovery and biodiversity research.
An Instagram post revealed an unknown giant water lily. In December 2021, Colorado carnivorous plant grower Jeremiah Harris shared photos of giant water lilies growing in Colombia’s Inírida River and identified them as Victoria Amazonica. However, water lily expert Carlos Magdalena noticed that no known Victoria species had been recorded in that part of the upper Orinoco basin. He suspected the photographs showed a previously undescribed species and used satellite imagery to search the Inírida River and its surrounding lakes, confirming the plants' presence.Magdalena and his colleagues then conducted a five-day expedition with members of local Indigenous communities. Their research eventually led to the formal description of a new species, Victoria Colombiana.How an Instagram post led to the water lily expeditionAfter seeing Harris’ photographs, Magdalena used satellite images to examine the Inírida River and nearby lakes.
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