Lichtgedanken 03

Rubrik 52 eflection Outliving life itself When researchers immortalize themselves as part of the tree of life, their choice is not always a happy one Donald Trump was recently in the headlines again. »Oh, real- ly?«, I hear you say, »so what?« After all, when does Donald Trump not cause controversy? In this case, however, it was not the man himself who was to blame, but a newly discover- ed species—a moth—which was named after Donald Trump in early 2017. Neopalpa donaldtrumpi sports a crown of yel- low-white scales that bears an undeniably striking similarity to the human Trump’s blow-dried hairdo. Whoever saddled the poor creature with this name presumably thought it was funny. But should the classification of species be seen as a source of jokes? Plants, animals and microorganisms—whether long extinct or still caught up in the treadmill of evolution—everything that walks, crawls, swims or flies, and that grows, metaboli- zes and reproduces is systematically classified. Thanks to the meticulous work of taxonomists, no creature goes missing—at least on paper. And if a species quits this earthly life, because it cannot find food, a sexual partner or a habitat, or because climate change, an unfortunate mutation or a motorway has led to its extinction, its name and its place in the eternal tree of life will endure—classified and described for all time. How long will Neopalpa donaldtrumpi last? Or the huntsman spider Heteropoda davidbowie , or the South American frog Hyloscirtus princecharlesi ? This is a question that does not arise in the case of Ponomaren- kia belmonthensis , as this beetle became extinct more than 250 million years ago. Nevertheless, Ponomarenkia belmonthensis has only recently been discovered by a research team led by the Jena entomologist Rolf Beutel (see p. 50), phylogenetically classified and scientifically »christened«. The long-extinct insect is named after the Moscow palaeonto- logist Prof. Alexander G. Ponomarenko. Nothing is publicly known about his hairstyle. However, his work as a scientist is obviously highly appreciated in Jena, which is why the beet- le—combining characteristics of both ancient and modern species—was given the professor’s name. However, what is the significance of such appreciation if a dyed-blonde pom- padour is clearly just as suitable an inspiration for a name as academic merit? I am sure that we do not need an official body to vet names, in the way that the registry office in Germany ensures that parents do not call their children »Darth Vader« or »Face- book«. But please, dear taxonomists, preserve the nameless, as-yet-undiscovered beetles, worms or moths from a fate like that of Neopalpa donaldtrumpi ! Be aware of the far-reaching consequences of your decision when you name a previously unknown creature: you are recording it in the eternal book of life. Heed the example of those who christened Ponomarenkia belmonthensis ! Ultimately, politics and evolution both teach us that presidents and species come and go, but the scientific na- mes of all beings remain. COMMENTARY BY UTE SCHÖNFELDER 3D reconstruction of Ponomarenkia belmonthen- sis based on precise drawings of the holotype and an accurate 2D reconstruction. Due to its combination of ancient and modern characte- ristics, this genus cannot be assigned to any of the four extant suborders of beetles, which is why it has the nickname »Bad Boy«. Name your own species: if you feel called upon to give a name to a new species, get in touch with the Phyletisches Museum (Phyletic Museum). In exchange for a donation to the museum’s association, anyone can choose a name for a tropical moth or butterfly species. For more informa- tion, please visit: www.phyletisches-museum.uni-jena.de/falternamen- zu-vergeben.html.