Biologist names moth with ‘yellowish-white scales’ on head after Trump

A newly discovered moth species with yellow-white scales on its head was named after President-elect Donald Trump.

The Neopalpa donaldtrumpi was “named in honor of Donald J. Trump” because of “the resemblance of the scales on the frons [head] of the moth to Mr. Trump’s hairstyle,” according to evolutionary biologist Vazrick Nazari.

Nazari wrote in the journal ZooKeys earlier this month that he wanted to “bring wider public attention to the need to continue protecting fragile habitats in the US that still contain many undescribed species.”

{mosads}

A press release described the “yellowish-white scales” and noted “it was in these scales that the author found an amusing reference to Mr. Trump’s hairstyle and turned it into an additional justification for its name.”

“With the new administration taking office very soon, and the uncertainties about what is going to happen to the [Environmental Protection Agency], I thought perhaps this would be a good opportunity to bring wider attention to the fact that we have so many fragile ecosystems and protected areas in the US that still house undiscovered and undescribed species of plants and animals, and we absolutely need to continue protecting them,” Nazari told The Huffington Post.

So I named a species after @realDonaldTrump. Maybe now he’ll make conservation of fragile US ecosystems a priority?https://t.co/jetz83AHaC

— Vazrick Nazari (@vazrick) January 17, 2017

“I hope he takes it with the good spirit as it is intended,” Nazari told The Washington Post about the president-elect. “We need the next administration to continue protecting vulnerable and fragile habitats across the United States.”