It may be small, but a predatory ground beetle is causing a lot of excitement among scientists. Because Anophthalmus hitleri is named after the Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler. Although the name is meeting resistance and the creepy crawly is therefore seriously threatened, a new name is out of the question.
In 1937, the beetle, which is only about five millimeters long, was first discovered as a new species in Slovenian caves. It was found by Austrian beetle collector Oskar Scheibel, an ardent supporter of the German Empire. That’s why he named the eyeless, predatory ground beetle after his idol.
After the Nazi era with millions of deaths, many biologists find this name anything but contemporary – other species such as the Mussolini butterfly (Hypopta mussolinii) and the flowering plants of the genus Hibbertia (named after the British slavery advocate George Hibbert) are also perceived by many as problematic. But a new name is out of the question: the internationally applicable rules of zoological nomenclature (ICZN) prohibit this.
According to this system of rules, the researcher who first discovers an animal species may also give it a scientific name. The first part is the name of the spouse, the second part is the species name. The latter can refer to a characteristic or origin of the animal, but naming it after a celebrity is also possible. The horsefly “Scaptia (Plinthina) beyonceae”, which has a striking golden rump, is named after the singer Beyoncé Knowles. The German politician Sahra Wagenknecht is the namesake of the cancer species Cherax Wagenknechtae.
Fear of chaos and confusion if the name is changed
There have been recent considerations to change the regulations, but ultimately there was a rejection by the ICZN committee, which monitors the correct compliance with the scientific naming and classification of all animal species. The reason: renaming can cause chaos and confusion in the scientific literature. But many people don’t want to accept that: “In what other areas of human activity is something named after Hitler?” asked Estrela Figueiredo of Nelson Mandela University in South Africa. “Regulations must change and be adapted, just like in the rest of society,” the scientist demands.
Hitler Beetle is a sought after item on the black market
A new name would also be a blessing for the Hitler Beetle. This is a sought-after collector’s item among neo-Nazis and even fetch high prices on the black market. This is why it is already considered an endangered species. “It’s a harmless insect,” scientist Mirjana Roksandic told The Economist magazine. “Why don’t we end the illegal trade by changing the name?”
The moth named after Trump has small genitals
Someone who may have been less happy to have an insect named after him is former US President Donald Trump. The moth named Neopalpa donaldtrumpi has a certain resemblance to the republican due to its light blond head scales and is also said to have small genitals.
Source: Krone
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