Scientists should not name new animal species after celebrities in case they get cancelled, an expert has said.
Scientists shoudn't name species after Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift and Donald Trump have been honoured with animal discoveries but Professor Robert Poulin, from the University of Otago in New Zealand, wants the trend to be avoided as it may lead to "nomenclatural regret".
Writing in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, he said: "One person's hero is another's villain, and even celebrities that are widely acclaimed today can fall from grace tomorrow, leading to 'nomenclatural regret' for those who immortalised their name in a species."
Poulin suggested that species' names should refer to their shape or the place where they were found.
He also tore into scientists who name new creatures after their girlfriends and family members, describing the practice as "nepotism and cronyism".
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