Neopalpa donaldtrumpi: New moth species named after Donald Trump

While Donald Trump has many business and properties that are in his name, having an insect named after him is a first.

An evolutionary biologist and systematist has named a newly discovered species of moth after the upcoming president. The moth that has been found in parts of California and Baja, Mexico has been named Neopalpa Donaldtrumpi.

The moth features a crown of yellowish scales on its head. Dr. Vazrick Nazari, a researcher in Canada, knew what he had to do as soon as he saw the new species.

Nazari said that “the specific epithet is selected because of the resemblance of the scales… of the moth to Mr. Trump’s hairstyle.”

“With its hair tufts, its presence in US and Mexico, and its fragile habitat that needs conservation, I really did not have any choice with this one other than to name [the moth] after Mr. President-elect himself,” Nazari said.

Nazari said he also chose the name in hopes to bring awareness to some conservational challenges.

“I hope to bring some public attention to the importance of conservation of the fragile habitats in the United States that still contain undescribed and threatened species, and generate interest in the importance of alpha-taxonomy in better understanding the neglected micro-fauna component of the North American biodiversity,” he said.

Nazari said he hopes that the Trump administration will appreciate the gesture.

“Having a species named after you is almost always an honor, since your name becomes immortal in the scientific literature,” Nazari said. “I am hoping that by appealing to Mr. Trump’s good nature, the next administration will make an effort to continue protecting the fragile habitats in the US that are home to as of yet unknown species.”

“But he will be the next president of the United States and I wish him success in his job because if he succeeds, The United States succeeds,” he wrote.

The newly discovered creature is the first species to bear the same name as our soon-to-be president.

“Insects are among the largest groups of animals on this planet but the number of people studying them are vanishingly small. The world of insects is fascinating and there is a lot to discover, as evident by this new species from California,” he wrote. “For a point of fact, as of yet we do not know anything about what Neopalpa donaldtrumpi does for a living: We do not know its host plant, its larval or pupal stages etc. this is something for the next generation of young scientists to discover.”