MANILA – A new species of water beetle found in Malaysian Borneo has been named after the Hollywood star and environmental activist Leonardo DiCaprio.
The tiny black insect was discovered by a group of citizen scientists while on a special field trip to discover new species, The Guardian reported.
Scientists at Ateneo de Manila University in the Philippines and a Dutch company, Taxon Expeditions, organized the excursion as part of an initiative to train members of the public how to spot, study, and describe new species.
The citizen scientists and staff at the Maliau Basin Studies Center gave the beetle the Latin name Grouvellinus leonardodicaprioi in honor of DiCaprio, during a ceremony at the end of the trip.
Dr. Iva Njunjic, founder of Taxon Expeditions, said: ‘’Tiny and black, this new beetle may not win an Oscar for charisma, but in biodiversity conservation, every creature counts.’’
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The 43-year-old Oscar-winning actor has been a staunch campaigner for the environment for many years, creating The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation in 1998.
The DiCaprio beetle adds to the long list of new species to be named after prominent figures.
A fly from the Amazon has been named after Arnold Schwarzenegger, while new beetle species have been named after DiCaprio’s co-star in the Titanic, Kate Winslet, as well as former presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.
Last year, scientists made headlines when they named a moth after Donald Trump. Neopalpa donaldtrumpi is noted for its shock of blonde hair-like scales and small genitalia.
The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation aims to reduce the impact of humans on the environment and protect the world’s last wild places. It has awarded over $100 million in grants since 2010.
Maliau is one of the three areas that make up the Danum Valley – Maliau Basin – Imbak Canyon (DaMaI) complex of wildlife-rich forests.
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Dicaprio’s foundation recently moved to support conservation efforts in DaMaI via a grant to Global Conservation, a California-based non-profit that is working with local rangers and the Sabah state government to implement technologies to protect wildlife and forests. DaMaI is home to endangered orangutans, pygmy elephants, and clouded leopards.
