These bizarre new beetles look so stretchy scientists named them Luffy
Scientists have named a new genus of beetles 'Luffy' after the protagonist of the manga One Piece due to the insects' unusually long and stretchy physical features. The discovery, which includes two new species, also involved a taxonomic review of the broader Ocypus beetle group.
Why it matters
Taxonomic discoveries combined with pop-culture naming conventions help increase public engagement with entomology and biodiversity research.
The newly established beetle genus Luffy was not given its name simply as a playful reference. Researchers selected it because the insects have distinctive physical features that closely resemble the unusual abilities of Luffy, the main character in One Piece.
Compared with related beetles, members of this genus have exceptionally long and slender mandibles, antennae, and maxillary palps. Their stretched proportions reminded the scientists of Luffy's rubber body, which allows the fictional character to freely extend and enlarge his limbs.
Complete taxonomic descriptions of the genus and its species were published in the open-access, peer-reviewed journal ZooKeys .
So far, scientists have identified two species belonging to the new genus: Luffy schillhammeri and Luffy nika .
Luffy schillhammeri was discovered in broadleaf forests in Yunnan Province, China. Its species name honors Dr. Harald Schillhammer of the Natural History Museum Vienna for his extensive and outstanding contributions to rove beetle research.
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