Blind, worm-like, sand burrowing creature named after Donald Trump
The US President, Donald Trump, has been the face of many controversies. One of the most famous is his denial to accept climate change. Trump apparently doesn't believe in global warming and has been extremely vocal about it. In 'recognition' to his denial, recently, a newly discovered worm-like amphibian that buries its head in the sand is to be officially named Dermophis donaldtrumpi.
The name will be officially used in scientific literature
The name was chosen by Aidan Bell, owner of UK-based EnviroBuild, builders' merchant for sustainable building materials, who paid $25,000 (Rs. 17.5L) at an auction for the creature naming rights. The 10 cm legless creature, a Caecilian, was found in Panama. Scientists who discovered it have agreed to use the name Dermophis donaldtrumpi when they would officially publish the discovery in the scientific literature.
Naming rights sold to raise money for non-profit environmental organization
"It is the perfect name. Caecilian is taken from the Latin caecus, meaning 'blind', perfectly mirroring the strategic vision President Trump has consistently shown towards climate change," Bell said. Its naming rights were sold to raise money for a non-profit environmental organization, Rainforest Trust.
'It's hoped 'Dermophis donaldtrumpi' will ensure Trump's presidency is remembered'
Creature in danger of becoming extinct, susceptible to global warming
As an amphibian, the creature is susceptible to the impacts of global warming and is thus in danger of becoming extinct as a result of Trump's climate policies, Bell said. The Rainforest Trust said that protecting the world's remaining rainforests, which includes the habitat of this creature, plays a big role in mitigating climate change. Sadly, nearly 70,000 acres of rainforest are destroyed regularly.
Trump believes global warming is a hoax. Say what?
The US President has been consistently denying that global warming exists. Six years ago, he tweeted, "The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make US manufacturing non-competitive." Last month, he quashed a study produced by his administration, in which over 300 leading climate scientists warned of the potentially catastrophic impact of climate change.
There are other species too that are named after Trump
This is not the first time people found similarities between Trump and other species. A poisonous furry caterpillar is uncannily similar to Trump's distinctive golden hair and has thus been named the Trumpapillar. There is also a bird, a golden-plumed pheasant, whose both hairstyle and eye expressions resemble that of Trump's. Also, a yellow-crowned moth was called Neopalpa donaldtrumpi in 2017.
