The Perfect Gift

Nov 27, 2012

The Perfect Gift

Nov 27, 2012

So, you're looking for that perfect, one-of-a-kind holiday gift. One that will not only be memorable but a conversation piece. 

How about a biolegacy gift? Name that bug!

You can obtain naming rights for this cute little black and white weevil with red polka dots (below) for a donation of $2500 to the Bohart Museum of Entomology, University of California, Davis.

Bohart Museum Society member Henry Hespenheide, professor emeritus from UCLA, collected the weevil a couple of years ago in Costa Rica, said Lynn Kimsey, director of the Bohart Museum and professor of entomology at UC Davis. 

This species, from genus Macrocopturus,  is waiting to be described. And waiting for a name.

Besides the honor of naming it,  “Your donation directly supports species discovery and student education in Entomology through scholarships," Kimsey said. "By naming this species you are promoting science education, species discovery and conservation.”

"The names have to pass judgment in a peer-reviewed journal," Kimsey said. "Our collaborating systematists are under obligation to publish these names according to the Zoological Code of Nomenclature."

Other species at the Bohart Museum are also ready to be named, she said. Want more information? Contact Kimsey at lskimsey@ucdavis.edu or (530) 752-5373. 

But one thing's for sure: this little weevil is definitely unique.

See no weevil, hear no weevil, and speak no weevil.

But you can definitely name it.