O 2011 Igg Nobel A cerimonia tivo lugar onte no Sanders Theatre de Harvard. O premio está patrocinado por Improbable Research, unha organización que reúne fascinante, estraño, e traballos de investigación francamente hilarantes que triunfan a idea de que non toda a ciencia é aburrida. Entre os destinatarios distinguidos deste ano estivo un compañeiro entomólogo e blogueiro David Rentz, que recibiu o IgNobel en Bioloxía por a descubrimento feito en 1983 co colega Darryl Gwynne no interior de Australia. Para a súa sorpresa un certo estilo de botella marrón con muescas na base (“tontos”) demostrou ser irresistible para os machos do escaravello Buprestid Julodimorpha bakewelli Julodimorpha saundersii (Ver papel fonte e comenta a continuación).
Parabéns Dave e Darryl!
Julodimorpha bakewelli intentando copular cunha botella de cervexa. Foto de D. Gwynne
It should be noted that the species discussed in the Gwynne & Rentz paper is actually Julodimorpha saundersii, which at the time of their publication was considered a synonym of J. bakewellii. The former occurs throughout SW and Western Australia, while the latter is limited to eastern Australia. Refer to Bellamy & Wier (2008).
Thanks for the clarification Ted, I’ve added the name and link above!
David finally posted about this on his blog: http://bunyipco.blogspot.com/2011/12/beetles-on-bottle.html
[…] Buprestids Mistake Stubbies (the particular kind of beer bottle) For Females, they received the 2011 Ig Noble award for Biology. It made a lot of sense, as it fulfills the Improbable Research premise of entertain and […]