Nine Animals That Scientists Have Named After President Obama

In this handout photo provided by the G20 Australia, Australia’s Prime Minister Tony Abbott and United States’ President Barack Obama meet Jimbelung the koala before the start of the first G20 meeting on November 15, 2014 in Brisbane, Australia. (Andrew Taylor/G20 Australia via Getty Images)

From the grateful turkeys pardoned at Thanksgiving to the 550 million acres of federally-protected lands through his legislation, it’s no secret President Obama is a nature lover.

So the dog lover and environmentalist should be honored by the homage paid to him by scientists who named new species after him. During his two terms in office, Obama has racked up at least nine animals named after him.

Most are innocuous, like the western striolated puffbird, while others are less than flattering, such as the parasitic hairworm. All of the creatures, the scientists assert, were named as a compliment, so there should be no partisan bickering over the honor.

Tosanoides obama (coral reef basslet)

(Courtesy R. L. Pyle)

Caloplaca obamae (firedot lichen)

(J. C. Lendemer/Opuscula Philolichenum)

botany1

Teleogramma obamaorum (African cichlid species)

(Melanie L.J. SJassny/American Museum Novitates)

Nystalus obamai (western striolated puffbird)

(Joao Quental/Flickr)

Joao_Quental

Baracktrema obamai (turtle blood fluke)

(R. Roberts et. al./American Society of Parasitologists)

Paragordius obamai (hairworm)

(Ben Hanelt, Matthew G. Bolek, Andreas Schmidt-Rhaesa/Wikimedia Commons)

Obamadon gracillis (extinct insectivorous lizard)

Obamadon lizard, bottom left (Carl Buell/Handout)

Etheostoma Obama (spangled darter)

(Blake Markwell/Flickr)

Aptostichus barackobamai (trapdoor spider)

(Jason E. Bond/Wikimedia Commons)

For background info on this spider and all the other creatures named after President Obama, click here.

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