The Dermophis donaldtrumpi was named in recognition of his namesake's climate change denial. MSNBC YouTube screenshot
By Abby Zimet
To those patriots who consider our Pretender-to-the-Throne a reptilian shape-shifter, mazel tov: Now he officially is one. A small, blind, shiny, worm-like amphibian newly discovered in Panama which buries its head in the ground will henceforth be named Dermophis donaldtrumpi in recognition of his namesake's climate change denial.
<p>The naming rights for the 10-centimeter creature—a Caecilian, or legless amphibian—were auctioned off in a fundraiser for the 30th anniversary of the <a href="http://www.rainforesttrust.org/" target="_blank">Rainforest Trust</a>. The auction gave bidders the chance to name 12 species—four frogs, four orchids, a forest mouse, a trap-jaw ant, a salamander and the caecilian—identified in Latin American reserves created by the Trust and local partners, with proceeds going to protect and preserve the species' habitat. </p><p>While protecting the world's <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/rainforests">rainforests</a> is one of the most effective ways to mitigate <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/climate-change">climate change</a>, the Trust estimates almost 70,000 acres are destroyed almost daily, causing devastating damage.</p><p>Among the new species, the caecilian garnered the largest bid: $25,000 from Aidan Bell, the head of sustainable building company <a href="https://www.envirobuild.com/blogs/articles/donald-trump-amphibian" target="_blank">Enviro</a><a href="https://www.envirobuild.com/blogs/articles/donald-trump-amphibian" target="_blank">Build</a>. While Trump and his ludicrous hair piece have inspired other facsimiles—a golden <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/video/2016/nov/18/donald-trumps-lookalike-a-golden-pheasant-video" target="_blank">pheasant</a>, a venomous <a href="http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/science-sushi/2016/10/06/donald-trump-caterpillar/#.XBm_aPx7nBJ" target="_blank">caterpillar, </a>a yellow-haired <a href="http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/science-sushi/2016/10/06/donald-trump-caterpillar/#.XBkLn0X7T5U" target="_blank">moth</a>—Bell argues his creature and his new moniker are an ideal match. "It is the perfect name," he <a href="https://www.envirobuild.com/blogs/articles/donald-trump-amphibian" target="_blank">says. </a>"Caecilian is taken from the Latin <em>caecus</em>, meaning 'blind,' perfectly mirroring the strategic vision (Trump) has consistently shown towards climate change." </p><p>Bell cites other fabulous likenesses: Caecilians can only detect light or dark, so see the world in simplistic black and white; thin-skinned, they grow an extra layer of skin their young peel off and eat before going on to jobs in the Oval Office; they live largely underground, thus helping them avoid scientific consensus; they have tentacles they use to catch prey; as amphibians, they're especially susceptible to global warming, and thus to extinction; and they are soulless, slithering, primordial worms, so ... yeah. </p><p class="shortcode-media shortcode-media-twitter_embed">
</p><div id="d1311" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="RCF5CZ1576663301"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="971943772803293184" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">At Least 20 Climate Change Deniers Lead Trump Team, POLITICO Reports https://t.co/angApWTJxF @IMPL0RABLE @American_Bridge</div> — EcoWatch (@EcoWatch)<a href="https://twitter.com/EcoWatch/statuses/971943772803293184">1520564427.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p></p><p><em>Reposted with permission from our media associate <a href="https://www.commondreams.org/further/2018/12/18/blind-burrowing-thin-skinned-meet-dermophis-donaldtrumpi" target="_blank">Common Dreams</a>.</em><br></p>
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