A tiny fish species discovered near Hawaii has been named after President Obama. In June, the maroon and gold animal was found 300 feet deep in the coral reef off Kure Atoll.
According to National Geographic, the Obama fish is “the one fish known to live only within the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument.” Because of this fact, scientists decided to name the fish after the president, who last week expanded the Papahānaumokuākea to more than quadruple its size. The monument, which is a sanctuary for several endangered species (including blue whales, short-tailed albatrosses, sea turtles, and the last Hawaiian monk seals), is now larger than all national parks combined.
On Thursday, National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence Sylvia Earle presented Obama with a framed plaque of his fish. “This is a nice-looking fish,” he quipped.
The male Obama fish has a red and blue colored dorsal fin that reminded scientists of Obama’s campaign logo. “It’s very reminiscent of Obama’s logo,” said Richard Pyle, the marine biologist who discovered the new species. “How appropriate that a fish we were thinking about naming after him anyway, just to say thank you for expanding the national monument, happens to have a feature that ties it to the president.”
The Obama fish isn’t the first Animal species with its namesake. Yahoo News’ Oliver Knox points out how there’s also “a trapdoor spider, a species of lichen, an extinct lizard, and a parasitic hairworm that infects crickets” named after the president.
https://twitter.com/OKnox/status/771770312610447360
(Via National Geographic)
