Well, some more adulation for the "Free World's Command in Chief", Barrack Obama. Getting a "Peace Prize" for engaging in more drone killing isn't enough to give the man, now we have to inflate his stature in the scientific community by naming species after him... sigh.
Well enough of my gripe, here are 9 species that had the "fortune" to be named after Obama during his term as president:
Aptostichus barackobamai (trapdoor spider)
Discovered in 2012 along with 33 other new trapdoor spider species. The biologist Jason Bond of Auburn University in Alabama named the rest after celebrities. Bond said: "He’s been a true statesman in the face of ridiculous opposition."
Etheostoma Obama (spangled darter)
Another species form 2012, this fish darts around cold clear waters, the imagery of clean nature. This is why the discoverers, Steve Layman and Richard Mayden named it "after Obama because of his focus on clean energy and environmental protection."
Obamadon gracillis (extinct insectivorous lizard)
This one isn't even alive, it's extinct. This lizard fossil indicates it was 1 foot long and ate insects with it's straight teeth. This was also found in 2012, and was named after Obama because the big lizard "choppers" "reminded them of President Obama’s smile".
Paragordius obamai (hairworm)
A 30 centimeter long parasite lives inside it's hosts, the cricket. Again, in 2012, these were found by Ben Hanelt, and are parthenogenic hairworms that are all female and can reproduce without males. They were found 19km away from where Obama's father is from, hence the reference to Obama.
Baracktrema obamai (turtle blood fluke)
Another worm, but discovered this year by Thomas Platt. He assured the public it was a compliment, having a resilience throughout its life cycle, in addition to the fact that “it’s long. It’s thin. And it’s cool as hell.”
Nystalus obamai (western striolated puffbird)
In 2008 Bret Whitney found some birds singing. But only in 2013 after DNA analysis was it discovered that he found a new species. Obama's apparent nature association comes up again, as a way to honor Obama's "development of green technology".
Teleogramma obamaorum (African cichlid species)
This fish was found in 2011 by Melanie Stiassny in 2011 when a drought caused water level to dip, exposing the new population of fish. She named it after both Michelle and Barrack's "commitment to science education and environmental conservation in Africa."
Caloplaca obamae (firedot lichen)
Are those just rocks? No, a orange-yellow species of litchen. Found in 2009, researchers named it after Obama for the same reason as above, minus Africa: "appreciation for science and science education."
Tosanoides obama (coral reef basslet)
The last in the list, and the newest found, is a pink, blue, and yellow coral reef fish. Richard Pyle found it and meant it as a "compliment to honor POTUS’s respect and protection of the natural world."
Well there you have it. Science's appreciation of Obama etched into the names of species.
What do you think about this?
Thank you for your time and attention! I appreciate the knowledge reaching more people. Take care. Peace.
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@krnel
2016-12-30, 8:20pm