The Controversial Battle Over Renaming the Endangered Beetle

Scientists are proposing to rename the beetle Anophthalmus hitleri, named after Adolf Hitler, in order to save it from extinction. Neo-Nazis have been collecting the bug for its name, driving the species to the brink of extinction. The debate over changing names for ethical reasons has sparked a broader discussion on the taxonomic naming process for insects. Some argue that changing names would be too disruptive to the study of biodiversity.