New Parasitoid Wasp Genus *Attenboroughnculus tau* Honors Sir David Attenborough’s Centenary

In 1983 a tiny ichneumonid wasp was collected in Chile’s Valdivia Province and stored in the Natural History Museum, London. Volunteer Augustijn De Ketelaere flagged its unusual morphology during a review of the museum’s ichneumonid drawer. Principal curator Dr Gavin Broad confirmed it represents a new species and a new genus, which the authors named *Attenboroughnculus tau* to mark Sir David Attenborough’s 100th birthday on 8 May 2026.

The Guardian

Sir David Attenborough has more than 50 eponymous taxa, including the long-beaked echidna *Zaglossus attenboroughi* (1998) and the carnivorous plant *Nepenthes attenboroughii*. His documentaries have highlighted parasitoid wasps, calling them “bodysnatcher wasps.” *Attenboroughnculus tau* measures 3.5 mm, bears a T-shaped abdominal marking, and is the sole species in its genus, expanding its subfamily to four known genera.

ABC News Australia

The Natural History Museum issued a press release stating the naming celebrates Attenborough’s “lasting influence on biodiversity science and public engagement.” Science communications manager Jennifer Pullar said the find should encourage researchers to re-examine collections for hidden diversity. The museum also announced its digitisation programme and the upcoming NHM Unlocked centre, which will house up to 28 million specimens.

The Guardian

The wasp’s host remains unknown; Broad noted that related Australian species attack spider egg sacs, a hypothesis yet to be tested. Only a single specimen is known, preventing assessment of distribution or conservation status. The discovery underscores the value of historic collections, where roughly 27 million pinned insects—about half undescribed—await formal study, and it aims to inspire new taxonomists. Researchers intend to conduct field surveys in Chile to locate additional specimens and the museum will digitise the wasp for global access.

ABC News Australia

• “When I was far too young, I learnt about taxonomy from David Attenborough’s Life on Earth series and resolved to be a taxonomist. Amazingly, I ended up a taxonomist, so I have Sir David to thank for that,” — Dr Gavin Broad, Principal Curator of Insects, Natural History Museum

The Guardian

• “One of its fairly close relatives in Australia attacks spider egg sacs so that could be what this group of species does, but who knows?” — Dr Gavin Broad, Principal Curator of Insects, Natural History Museum

The Guardian

• “We hope to inspire global scientists to take another look in their collections to see if there is something small that could contribute to our collective understanding and therefore the future of our natural world.” — Jennifer Pullar, Science Communications Manager, Natural History Museum

The Guardian

• “There are only four species described in this group of wasps, but it is very likely there are many, many more that are new to science,” — Jess Marsh, Entomologist, University of Adelaide

ABC News Australia