Nelloptodes Gretae | 29 Oct 2019
Scientists at the Natural History Museum in London have officially named a tiny species of beetle Nelloptodes gretae. It has been named after the 16-year-old Swedish environmental campaigner Greta Thunberg.
- N. gretae was first found in Kenya in the 1960s which was later donated to the Natural History Museum in London in 1978.
- Biological names comprise two words, one for the genus and the second for the species.
- While the species name gretae derives from Greta, the genus Nelloptodes too is new.
Key Points
- The arthropod, which has no eyes or wings, is less than 1mm long and belongs to the Ptiliidae family, which is made up of some of the world’s smallest beetles.
- Biodiversity loss has led to the faster extinction of the undiscovered species. The naming signifies Greta’s contribution in raising awareness of environmental issues.
- A parasite named after Bob Marley (Gnathia marleyi), a genus of fish called after Richard Dawkins (Dawkinsia), a spider called Spintharus leonardodicaprioi after Leonardo DiCaprio are some other species named after famous personalities.