A Researcher Turned This Moth Into a Trump

An insect species native to the Southwest earns an attention-getting moniker for its golden-flaked head.

Meet N. donaldtrumpi, a newly discovered moth species native to southern California and Baja California. The researcher who discovered the species was struck by the golden flakes atop the insect's head.
Source: Vazrick Nazari; ZooKeys Journal

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By Eric Roston

January 17, 2017 at 4:58 PM UTC

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A Canadian researcher has discovered a new species of moth native to Southern California and Baja California. The insect, which measures just over a centimeter wide, is a visually striking specimen. Golden flakes cover its head, which the researcher likens to the hairdo of President-elect Donald Trump. Hence the name of the new species: Neopalpa donaldtrumpi.

The insect is distinguishable from a related species, Neopalpa neonata, by the blondness of its head-flakes, the orange-yellow coloration of its fore-wing, and the morphology of its genitals.