A tiny species of beetle discovered more than 50 years ago has been named after Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg.
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Scientists at the Natural History Museum in London have officially called the insect Nelloptodes gretae to honour the 16-year-old Swedish activist’s “outstanding contribution” in raising global awareness of climate change.
The arthropod, which has no eyes or wings, is less than 1mm long and belongs to the Ptiliidae family, which is made up of some of the world’s smallest beetles.
The beetle was first found in 1965 by British naturalist Dr William C Block in Nairobi, Kenya.
Biological names comprise two words, one for the genus and the second for the species. Traditionally, it is the species name that scientists coin to honour a prominent personality.
While the species name gretae derives from Greta, the genus Nelloptodes too is a new genus.
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