Newly Discovered Organisms Named in Honor of Sir David Attenborough: Echidnas, Snails, and Frightening Plants

After more than six decades, a species of echidna that was believed to be extinct has been rediscovered in the jungles of Indonesia. The echidna, named Attenborough's long-beaked echidna after the renowned British naturalist Sir David Attenborough, was captured on camera-trap footage by researchers from Oxford University. Sir David, who the species was named after, expressed his delight at its rediscovery. This echidna is just one of many extraordinary species that bear the Attenborough name, including frogs, dragonflies, shrimps, and a prehistoric sea creature. Sir David has also had plants named after him, such as the giant carnivorous pitcher plant and a 430-million-year-old crustacean, which he expressed as a great honor.