EJT publishes a new beetle species named after Sir David Attenborough

A new species of dung beetle from South America, Sylvicanthon attenboroughi sp. nov., has just been  published in EJT 467, an extensive monograph by authors Mario CUPELLO and Fernando Z. VAZ-DE-MELLO, both from Brazil. The authors explain in their etymology that they chose to name this species after the great British naturalist and broadcaster, Sir David Attenborough:

“In recognition of his profoundly influential work on the public understanding of natural history and evolutionary biology, which, for more than six decades, has been inspiring young people of successive generations (including the first author) to pursue a career as a biologist and the general public to know and preserve the beautiful world in which we live. We paraphrase him: “I did so because I know of no pleasure deeper than that which comes from contemplating the natural world and trying to understand it” (Attenborough 2002). The specific name is a noun in the genitive case.”

We can very well imagine that many biologists and naturalists around the globe feel exactly the same way.  Congratulations Sir David!