Scientists have named a newly discovered species of moth after Donald Trump. Researchers named the moth after the President-elect because
the new moth, in adult form, boasts a series of yellowish-white scales
on its head, resembling the hair of Trump.
The moth, Neopalpa donaldtrumpi, was formally introduced in the latest issue of the journal ZooKeys. It is one of two species within a genus of twirler moths.
N. donaldtrumpi and its relative are both found throughout Southern California, as well as across the border in Baja California, Mexico.
Researchers hope their topical name will bring attention to
the fact that new species can still be found in the United States, even
among already well-surveyed habitat.
"The discovery of this distinct micro-moth in the densely
populated and otherwise zoologically well-studied southern California
underscores the importance of conservation of the fragile habitats that
still contain undescribed and threatened species, and highlights the
paucity of interest in species-level taxonomy of smaller faunal elements
in North America," evolutionary biologist Vazrick Nazari said in a news
release.
Nazari discovered specimens of the new species while
perusing the moth collections of the Bohart Museum of Entomology at the
University of California, Berkeley.
"By naming this species after the 45th President of the
United States, I hope to bring some public attention to, and interest
in, the importance of alpha-taxonomy in better understanding the
neglected micro-fauna component of the North American biodiversity,"
Nazari concluded.
UPI
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