A Megachile lucifer bee. Females in this bee group have devil-like horns that inspired the insect's name.

Researchers in Australia have discovered a native bee species with tiny "devil-like horns.”

A research team at Curtin University in Perth discovered the species while surveying a critically endangered wildflower that grows in the Bremer Range region, between the towns of Norseman and Hyden.

According to the researchers, the bees were discovered in Western Australia’s Goldfields and have unusual horned faces that inspired the name for the species, the Megachile lucifer. Lucifer is Latin for "light-bringer," and the name is also a play on its devil-like appearance, Curtin University said in a news release.

The researchers added that only females have these horns. Here’s what the researchers have revealed about the devilish-looking bee.

Female bee has 'incredible little horns,' researchers say

Lead author and research fellow Kit Prendergast, from the Curtin School of Molecular and Life Sciences, said in the news release that the bee was spotted in November 2019 near the endangered wildflower the team was researching, as well as a nearby mallee tree.

"The female had these incredible little horns on her face," Prendergast said, adding that he was watching the Netflix (formerly Fox) series "Lucifer" at the time. The show follows Lucifer Morningstar, the devil, who leaves hell and heads to Los Angeles.

"The name just fit perfectly," Prendergast said. "I am also a huge fan of the Netflix character Lucifer, so it was a no-brainer."

According to the researchers, they found both a male and a female, then analyzed their DNA, confirming they belonged to the same species. The bees didn’t match any previously known bees in DNA databases, nor did they match museum collections.

Prendergast said the bees are the first members of the group to be described in over 20 years, "which really shows how much life we still have to discover – including in areas that are at risk of mining, such as the Goldfields."

What purpose do the horns serve?

The researchers said the Megachile lucifer's horns are only found on the females, meaning the horns aren't related to male-to-male competition.

Female bees from other groups also have these horns, suggesting the females have an adaptive function, the researchers said. Past research has found that the horns may provide the bees with defense against competitors for floral resources, defense against females over nest sites, as well as collecting resin, pebble or sand for cell closures.

Bees could be at risk for habitat disturbance, researchers say

The goldfields where the bees were discovered are part of ancient lands formed over hundreds of millions of years, according to the Western Australian Museum.

The area has since become a popular spot for gold mining due to the presence of the Yilgarn Craton, a major part of the Earth’s crust that consists of igneous and metamorphic rocks, per GeoScience Australia.

The Yilgarn Craton is believed to be the site of up to 30% of the world's known gold reserves, and it is home to several flora and fauna species, according to the Western Australian Museum.

Prendergast, whose team discovered the devilish bee in the area, said the sighting of the insect shows the importance of understanding bees before their habitats are destroyed.

"Because the new species was found in the same small area as the endangered wildflower, both could be at risk from habitat disturbance and other threatening processes like climate change," Prendergast said.

Prendergast added that some mining companies don’t survey for native bees, so there may be even more species out there, including those that are vital parts of threatened plants and ecosystems.

"Without knowing which native bees exist and what plants they depend on, we risk losing both before we even realise they’re there," Prendergast said.

The full study can be found at www.jhr.pensoft.net.

Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bees with 'devil-like horns' found in wildflowers by Australian researchers

Reporting by Saleen Martin, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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