A newly discovered spider genus in Madagascar has a prominent name. The German explorer wants to point out the importance of Greta Thunberg's concerns.
Frankfurt / Main (dpa) - The Swedish student Greta Thunberg has inspired people to commit to climate protection worldwide - now she has eight-legged namesakes: Frankfurt arachnologist Peter Jäger has named a new spider species in Madagascar after the activist.
By choosing the name, the researcher at the Senckenberg Society for Natural Research wants to draw attention to the threat to biodiversity. The study of five Thunberga species within the giant crab spider has now appeared in the specialist journal "Zootaxa", as a Senckenberg spokeswoman reported on Friday.
While four species of the genus Thunberga differ from other giant crab spiders primarily by the unique teeth of their jaw claws and their exceptionally spotted forelimbs, "Thunberga greta" is a hitherto unknown species so that the demands of the "Fridays For Future" demonstrations can be heard by politicians and businesses: "The rising temperatures affect all areas of nature - including the Madagascan endemic diversity and spider fauna."
Jäger has named spiders several times after prominent namesakes - including David Bowie, Udo Lindenberg and punk icon Nina Hagen.
Communication from the Senckenberg Society
Abstract in "Zootaxa"