David Attenborough and Barack Obama already defy records for most species named after them , 18 and 11 severally , and now researchers have added another one each , after discovering multiple new species of smiley - faced spiders .
It ’s not just Attenborough and Obama that get the purity though . Fifteen specieswere attain across the Caribbean and have been named after well - known climate alteration and human rights advocates
The outspoken hero who also get the accolade of having a Spintharus species named after them include Michelle Obama ( S. michelleobamaae ) , Leonardo Dicaprio ( S. leonardodicaprioi ) , Bernie Sanders ( S. berniesandersi ) , and David Bowie ( S. davidbowiei ) . They are formally described in theZoological Journal of the Linnean Society .
Perhaps the chance to have a species named after Trump is the way of life to invoke to him regarding both his climate change position and humanitarian attitude ? Currently , the only have it off species named after him isNeopalpa donaldtrumpi , a blonde - coiffed moth with diminished privates .
It was antecedently cerebrate that the smiley - faced spider – named for the pattern on its stomach rather than its cheerful deportment – found across much of the Caribbean , Mexico , and southern states of America was just one mintage . But researchers from the Caribbean Biogeography Project studied the spiders from Jamaica , Cuba , the Dominican Republic , Puerto Rico , Antilles , Florida , South Carolina , Costa Rica , Mexico , and Colombia and discovered that most of them were actually endemic to where they were found .
Each bookman involved in the project got to name a species . Some chose family extremity , but others chose to honor their heroes . However , S. berniesandersiwas named unanimously by the mathematical group .
" [ W]e all named the Bernie Sanders spider,“explainedLily Sargeant , one of the students who worked on the project . " We all have tremendous regard for Bernie . He demonstrate a feeling of hope . "
After namingS. leonardodicaprioi , Chloe Van Patten explained : " I ’m over my crush , but now that he ’s involved in environmental issue , I bang him even more . So I named a spider after him hoping that if he read our study he might go out to dinner party with me and peach about clime change , " she brashly bestow .
As fun as this inquiry and naming sounds , happen upon endemic species has far - reaching rebound for preservation .
" Thoughts about conservation alteration dramatically when you go from having a common , widespread species to an endemic on , say , Jamaica that has very specific preservation need , " Ingi Agnarsson , the task loss leader , said .
Protecting one species is very different from protect 15 different ones that are genetically stranded and have very precise local habitats .
Who acknowledge , perhaps one of the honoree will hear about their namesake and take them under their backstage , guarantee the smiley critters ' future .
