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Rare Hitler Beetle is being driven to extinction by neo-Nazi collectors [1]
['Mark Frauenfelder']
Date: 2023-09-25
The Hitler Beetle, scientifically known as Anophthalmus hitleri, is a rare, blind cave beetle that was discovered by amateur entomologist Oskar Scheibel in 1933. The name of the beetle comes from the Greek word meaning "without eyes" (anophthalmus) and the last name of Adolf Hitler, who commanded Nazi Germany at the time.
The Washington Post reports that neo-Nazis have collected the beetle to the point of near extinction, and some entomologists are proposing a name change for the hapless creature. The proposal has sparked a debate among scientists about whether to change the name of the beetle and the many other plants and animals with offensive names.
As reported in The Washington Post:
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