Science

Tiny 2mm-long SNAIL found in Brunei is named after Greta Thunberg


Tiny SNAIL found in Brunei is named after Greta Thunberg to ‘acknowledge that her generation will be responsible for fixing problems they did not create’

  • The new species – Craspedotropis gretathunberga – is approximately 2mm long 
  • It was found by citizen scientists during fieldwork in the wilderness of Brunei
  • Greta Thunberg said she was ‘delighted’ the snail had been named after her 

A minuscule green-brown snail has been discovered in the wilderness of Brunei and has been named after Greta Thunberg. 

The new species – Craspedotropis gretathunberga – is approximately 2mm long and 1mm wide with grey tentacles and a concave shell. 

Researchers say they named the mollusc after the prominent 17-year-old climate activist to acknowledge the fact her generation will be responsible for fixing problems they did not create. 

Greta Thunberg said she was ‘delighted’ the snail had been named after her.

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A minuscule green-brown snail (pictured) has been discovered in the wilderness of Brunei and has been named after Greta Thunberg

A minuscule green-brown snail (pictured) has been discovered in the wilderness of Brunei and has been named after Greta Thunberg

Researchers say they named the mollusc after the prominent 17-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg (pictured) to acknowledge the fact her generation will be responsible for fixing problems they did not create

Researchers say they named the mollusc after the prominent 17-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg (pictured) to acknowledge the fact her generation will be responsible for fixing problems they did not create

‘The newly described snail belongs to the so-called caenogastropods, a group of land snails known to be sensitive to drought, temperature extremes and forest degradation,’ says snail expert Dr Menno Schilthuizen.

‘All individuals were found very close to the research field station at the foot of a steep hill-slope, next to a river bank, while foraging at night on the green leaves of understorey plants.’

The trip of citizen scientists was based at Kuala Belalong Field Studies Centre.

Citizen scientist J.P. Lim was the first person to find the first ever known example of Greta Thunberg’s snail.

The trip of citizen scientists was based at Kuala Belalong Field Studies Centre when they discovered the new species of snail and named it after Greta

The trip of citizen scientists was based at Kuala Belalong Field Studies Centre when they discovered the new species of snail and named it after Greta 

Citizen scientist J.P. Lim (pictured) was the first person to find the first ever known example of Greta Thunberg's snail

Citizen scientist J.P. Lim (pictured) was the first person to find the first ever known example of Greta Thunberg’s snail

An expert said: ''All individuals [of the new species] were found very close to the research field station at the foot of a steep hill-slope, next to a river bank, while foraging at night on the green leaves of understorey plants'

An expert said: ”All individuals [of the new species] were found very close to the research field station at the foot of a steep hill-slope, next to a river bank, while foraging at night on the green leaves of understorey plants’

He said: ‘Naming this snail after Greta Thunberg is our way of acknowledging that her generation will be responsible for fixing problems that they did not create. 

‘And it’s a promise that people from all generations will join her to help.’ 

This is the second invertebrate to be named in honour of the maverick environment and climate activist.

Last year, a beetle was named after her. 

This Nelloptodes gretae – which had no name beforehand, despite being discovered 50 years ago – has no eyes, no wings, and is just 1mm long. 

How did Swedish teenager Greta Thunberg become the poster girl for the climate change movement?

Greta Thunberg, pictured, is a teenager who began a solo protest outside the Swedish parliament last year which has since spread across the globe. The Fridays For Future events saw young people demand that their government takes action against climate change

Greta Thunberg, pictured, is a teenager who began a solo protest outside the Swedish parliament last year which has since spread across the globe. The Fridays For Future events saw young people demand that their government takes action against climate change

The youth-led climate protests which kicked off across the world were inspired by Greta Thunberg, a Swedish teenager who went on a three-week school strike outside her country’s parliament in summer last year.

Born to a professional opera singer mother, the pigtailed 16-year-old developed her interest in climate change aged nine after watching a film on the effects of plastic.

What began as a lone fight in August last year outside the Swedish parliament spread all over the world and involved more than 100,000 schoolchildren in 112 different countries.

The movement was called Fridays For Future and consisted of students taking every Friday off to demand government action on the climate issue.

Greta has Asperger’s and ADHD but has often spoken on how her conditions have acted as a motivator instead of a source of depression, which she said they once were.

Since her first strike last year at the age of 15, Greta has gone on to talk about the possible solutions to combat climate change at rallies in Stockholm, Helsinki, Brussels and London. Every conference she has attended she has travelled by train, bus or cycled in an effort to keep her carbon footprint low.

Over the last few years she has convinced her family to make drastic changes in order to help save the planet including refusing to fly on planes, growing their own vegetables and not eating meat.

Greta was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize by members of Norway’s Parliament for her work and determination, and she received the freedom of expression, Fritt Ord Prize, in April.

Greta is setting sail on 60ft racing boat Malizia II to get to this year’s UN Climate Action Summit in New York and the COP25 climate change conference in Santiago.





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