Scientists Discover New Snail Species & Name It After Greta Thunberg
Image via MikeDotta / Shutterstock.com
Young activist Greta Thunberg came out of her shell to face the world and fight climate change. It’s little wonder there’s now a snail named after her.
A team of scientists and citizen scientists with Taxon Expeditions stumbled upon a new land snail species during a trip in Borneo, and have named it “Craspedotropis gretathunbergae” after the 17-year-old.
Their findings, published in the Biodiversity Data Journal, detail that the snail is especially vulnerable to climate change, and is “sensitive to drought, temperature extremes and forest degradation,” Taxon’s co-founder Menno Schilthuizen explains.
The team is paying homage to Thunberg’s efforts by naming the snails after her. According to a statement via CNET, J.P. Lim, who discovered the first specimen of the species, expressed that the title also indicates that “her generation will be responsible for fixing problems that they did not create.”
“It’s a promise that people from all generations will join her to help,” he added.
The team reached out to the activist for permission to christen the snail in her honor, and she replied that she was “delighted” to have the species named after her.
Moving images!
— Taxon Expeditions (@TaxonExped) February 20, 2020
The wonderful @AukeFlorian made this research trailer for us, using great macro and drone footage by @RivieraMacro, to introduce to the world the new snail named in honour of @GretaThunberg pic.twitter.com/6r7vZHW5Kx
Meet Craspedotropis gretathunbergae, a new snail species named after @GretaThunberg (and discovered in a Brunei rainforest by citizen scientists on a @TaxonExped trip) https://t.co/hsiZ8OpsTY. pic.twitter.com/MNGdKHKRM5
— Martin Enserink (@martinenserink) February 20, 2020
[via CNET, images via various sources]
Also check out these recent news
