Edward Snowden has apparently made an impact on German scientist Christian Lukhaup, who has named a new species of crayfish after him.
"After describing a couple new species, I thought about naming one after Edward Snowden because he really impressed me," Lukhaup told The Washington Post. "We have so many species named after other famous people who probably don't do so much for humanity. I wanted to show support for Edward Snowden. I think what he did is something very special."
The newly named crayfish species, Cherax snowden, is native to the tributary creeks spilling onto the Oinsok River in Kepala Burung Peninsula, Indonesia. It is commonly referred to as "orange tip" or "green orange tip" in the ornamental fish trade because of the color of its pincers. Buyers from Asia and Europe obtain it for ornamental purposes.
C. snowden is distinguished from other crayfish species in its genus by the shape of its rostrum, body and chelae, or pincers. Its coloration pattern also makes it stand out from other crayfish.
Lukhaup and two co-authors said that they named the crayfish species after the NSA whistleblower, an "American freedom fighter" who is "honored due to of his extraordinary achievements in defense of justice, and freedom."
"The name is used as a noun in apposition," they wrote.
Snowden is famous for leaking confidential information regarding NSA surveillance to the media. While people in the U.S. either view him as a hero or as someone who put people's lives at risk, Germans have given him quite a strong support. He has lived in Germany since 2013, and in June, a Dresden square was named after him, according to The Washington Post.
"A crayfish is a powerful species; it's protected by a very hard shell, plus it has two very effective chelae, the pincers, and even if they are tiny, [they] can hurt a lot," Lukhaup said.
C. snowden faces a possible threat because of pollution and continued trade. If the present trends continue, the authors recommend the development of a conservation management plan to protect the species.
The study of Lukhaup and his co-authors about C. snowden is published in the Aug. 24 issue of the journal Zookeys.
