David Attenborough Beetle: Scientists Name Newly Discovered Beetle After Famed Naturalist

Sir David Attenborough has become one of the most respected naturalists in history. Earning popularity from his journalistic work in the wild, Attenborough has been somewhat of an authority figure on all things natural, having produced the incredibly popular biology series Life on Earth. The broadcaster became an influential figure among many young minds in the 70s and 80s, many of whom would pursue careers in the sciences in the future.

Attenborough continues to reap the rewards of his work. Recently, a team of German biologists, led by Alexander Riedel, announced that they are officially naming a recently discovered Indonesian beetle after the famous broadcaster.

Scientists from the Natural History Museum Karlsruhe have recently discovered 98 new species of beetles under the genus Trigonopterus. They were found in Java, Bali and other Indonesian islands. According to The Verge, one of the species was named Trigonopterus attenboroughi “in recognition of [Attenborough’s] outstanding documentaries on natural history.”