Blind worm-like amphibian that buries its head in the sand is named after Donald Trump

The new worm-like creature found in Panama was called Dermophis donaldtrumpi in a jibe at the US President's views on climate change.

A sustainable building product distribution company, EnviroBuild, bid $25,000 (£19,800) in an auction to name the new species.

Co-founder Aidan Bell said in a statement: "As Dermophis donaldtrumpi is an amphibian, it is particularly susceptible to the impacts of climate change and is therefore in danger of becoming extinct as a direct result of its namesake's policies."

He added: "Burrowing [his] head underground helps Donald Trump when avoiding scientific consensus on anthropomorphic climate change."

The creature is a caecilian – a group of small, blind animals with no arms or legs that live mostly underground.

All the money raised from the auction was donated to the Rainforest Trust charity and the amphibian's proposed name will still have to undergo peer review.

Donald Trump has taken a hard line against the international consensus on climate change since assuming the Oval Office and on his campaign to get there.

Last month, after reading a report on climate change from his own government warning of a catastrophic impact on America, President Trump said: "I don't believe it".

And in 2012, he infamously tweeted: "The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make US manufacturing non-competitive."

Dermophis donaldtrumpi isn't the first animal to be named after Trump.

A species of moth was named after the US president because it appears to have a similar "yellowish-white" hairstyle.

The moth, named Neopalpa donaldtrumpi, was found in the University of California's archives where it had lain undiscovered for years.

Source: Read Full Article