The Mexico City Ministry of the Environment (Sedema), in collaboration with the Digital Agency for Public Innovation (ADIP) and the Institute of Ecology of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), announced that the name of the newly discovered firefly species found in Chapultepec Park is “María Sabina”, in honor of the renowned Mazatec healer.

In a statement, Sedema detailed that the official scientific designation of the species will be Photinus mariasabinae, which from now on pays tribute to the famous and legendary Oaxacan healer—symbolizing the union between science and ancestral, even mystical, wisdom.

This discovery took place on Monday, September 2, 2024, during a marathon observation and recording event of flora and fauna in Chapultepec Park. During the activity, UNAM researchers noticed a flash that caught their attention, and subsequent laboratory analyses confirmed it was a previously unknown species.

The naming process took place from September 26 to October 5, 2025, through ADIP’s Plaza Pública platform, with the participation of the Scientific and Cultural Committee for the Taxonomic Identity of the Chapultepec Firefly. Sedema also reported that the scientific team will proceed with the official registration of the species before the international academic community.