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The new species,
dubbed Neopalpa donaldtrumpi, lives in a habitat that spans
southern California and Mexico's Baja California and was named
by evolutionary biologist Vazrick Nazari in an article published
in the scientific journal ZooKeys.
The moth, the second species of a genus of twirler moths, can be
distinguished by the yellowish-white scales on the head of its
adults, according to the journal.
"The specific epithet is selected because of the resemblance of
the scales on the frons (head) of the moth to Mr. Trump's
hairstyle," Nazari wrote in the article, which was published on
Tuesday.
"The reason for this choice of name is to bring wider public
attention to the need to continue protecting fragile habitats in
the U.S. that still contain many undescribed species," he added.
News of the naming came the week Trump is set to be inaugurated
as the 45th president of the United States, on Friday.
Trump will not be the first president to have an animal named
after him. Just last month, a fish native to the coral reefs of
northwestern Hawaii was named after current U.S. President
Barack Obama in honor of his efforts to protect the fish's
habitat.
(Reporting by Curtis Skinner in San Francisco; Editing by David
Gregorio)
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