Source: Article
There are many ways to be remembered for your place in society. One way is to have a statue created in your honor, whereas, another maybe to have a building named (or an institution) after yourself. If your a scientist, the recognition may come in the form of a 'new element' named after you which lies on the "Periodic Table of Elements." Or you may create a process or method which bears your name and is carried on in both the spoken language along with the print in pages of the journals of science. Yet, another way is reserved to a few people. That rare recognition is to have a 'species' or in this case an 'insect' named after yourself. That is what occurred last week for Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Arnold "The Governator" Schwarzenegger
Recently, as reported on the website "IFLScience!" titled "New Species Of Fly Named After Arnold Schwarzenegger - For Obvious Reasons"
There are very few things Arnold Schwarzenegger can’t do. He wanted to become Mr Universe, so he did it. He wanted to be a movie icon, so he did it. He even wanted to become governor of California, so he did it. Now, he has unlocked his greatest achievement yet: the world’s smallest fly is officially named after him.The bizarre new fly species was discovered in the Brazilian Amazon by entomologist Brian Brown. Measuring a wimpy 0.395 millimeters in length, Brown believes it’s the smallest fly known to science. But naming a fly of such tiny stature is not an ironic dig at Arnie, it’s actually a reference to the insect's unusually “beefy” forelegs."As soon as I saw those bulging legs, I knew I had to name this one after Arnold," said Brown, of the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, in a statement. "Not only is he a major cultural icon and an important person in the political realm, his autobiography gave me some hope that I could improve my body as a skinny teenager."
The author draws specific comparisons to Arnold Schwarzenegger later in the article:
Just like Schwarzenegger, M. arnoldi is a pretty interesting character. While its forelegs are unusually big, its middle and hind legs are pretty weedy, and its wings reduced to tiny stubs. Due to its size and its unusually sharp sex organs, Brown believes that the fly is a parasitoid, which is a bit like a parasite except it kills its hosts. It most likely latches onto ants or termites, covertly sneaks into their nests, and begins to parasitize the colony.
Here are the side by side images shown below (as shown below):
Source: Article
Up until now, I had only seen a 'moth' named after our President - Donald Trump as shown below and written about by me - click here:
I would love to interview the two entomologists to ask them how many other people are considered for a given naming. Or, is the choice immediately apparent - as in the case of the moth above given Donald Trump's name for that characteristic 'hair cut'. When asked about the moth, then candidate Trump said ... "that is one great looking moth...".
In the end, being named after an insect is a great honor. Both men should be proud to be in the halls of science for such contributions. Until next time, have a great weekend.
More "Thoughts" Blog Posts below:
A Moth And Donald Trump Share The Same Hair Style?
Thoughts: Trump Administration Realizes Renewable Energy Is Here To Stay?
Thoughts: How Does A Government Shutdown Indirectly Affect The American People? Two Examples
Thoughts: Florida Gets Offshore Oil Drilling Ban - Why Not Pacific Coast Too?
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