--- title: "Scientists Debate Whether to Rename Bug Named After Adolf Hitler" description: "A fierce debate has erupted over whether it's time to rename A. hitleri, an unfortunate Slovenian beetle named to honor Adolf Hitler." date: "2023-09-07" modified: "2023-09-07" authors: - name: "Maggie Harrison Dupré" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/mharrison" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/scientists-bug-adolf-hitler" categories: - "Science & Energy" tags: - "bugs" - "insects" - "taxonomy" - "the digest" --- # Scientists Debate Whether to Rename Bug Named After Adolf Hitler ![A fierce debate has erupted over whether it's time to rename A. hitleri, an unfortunate Slovenian beetle named to honor Adolf Hitler.]() *Scientists breakdown. Bad results of their study \Image: Getty Images\* ## A. hitleri A fierce debate has reportedly erupted over whether it's time to give *Anophthalmus hitleri (A. hitleri) —* an unfortunate Slovenian beetle that was named by an Adolf Hitler-admiring researcher back in 1930s — and many other critters that happen to be named after history's worst people new, less genocide-y names. As [*Science* reports](), the argument has been heating up since January, when the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN), the global governing body responsible for refereeing the correct use of animal taxonomy, published a [paper]() in the — Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society (— ZJLS) decreeing that it wouldn't consider any ethics-based animal renamings. "If these names are not stable," the ICZN wrote in its judgment, "you can create a massive confusion." But this decision was met with backlash, and according to *Science*, that same journal, *ZJLS*, recently published a [series of new editorials]() from various scientists arguing that the ICZN couldn't be more wrong. It's about "eliminating the commemoration of people who caused untold human misery," one scientist, botanist Estrela Figueiredo of Nelson Mandela University's Ria Olivier Herbarium, [penned in one of the editorials](). "In which other spheres of human endeavor is anything still named \[after\] Hitler?" "The codes must change and adapt," she added, "like the rest of society.” ## What's In a Name Per *Science*, A. hitleri isn't even the only bug named after Hitler. Back in 1934, a German paleontologist dubbed a flying prehistoric bug *Rochlingia hitleri* after the fascist leader. And speaking of fascists, Italy's notorious autocratic leader Benito Mussolini can count a butterfly named in his honor. Some scientists have also focused heavily on correcting the colonialist legacy present in taxonomy, arguing that a number of plant species should be returned to their indigenous names. A salient example offered by *Science* is the ongoing debate over the proposed renaming of *Hibbertia*, a genus of Australian guinea flowers that were renamed for the [pro-slavery British plantation owner George Hibbert](). The ICZN continues to argue that renaming efforts could cause confusion. And it's true: maybe name changes could cause a few slip-ups. But people are adaptable, and the reality remains that naming is a means of preservation — a way to honor someone or something, ensuring their remembrance. The family name gets passed on; an imperialist renames a conquered region in his image; a discoverer of a beetle **names** it after his political idol. And sometimes, whether it's decades or centuries later, there comes a time to grapple with the fact that some legacies aren't worth honoring. Hitler's probably being at the top of that list. **More on bugs:** [*Terrifying Parasite Can Actually Triple an Ant’s Lifespan*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've reported extensively on the rise of AI as a cultural and business force shaping the media industry, and more broadly how those dynamics are changing how we all consume and share information and relate to one another. I'm also fascinated by public health policy and ethics, the role of emerging tech in politics and governance — and the powerful people and forces at those intersections — climate change, and the environment. My investigation on Sports Illustrated's use of AI-generated authors with fictional biographies won a 2024 Mirror Award for "Best Story on Media Coverage of Artificial Intelligence in Journalism and the Media" from Syracuse University's SI Newhouse School, I contributed to Niemen Lab's 2025 Predictions for Journalism series, and I've discussed my work for Futurism during appearances on NPR, CNN, the BBC, the CBC, and more. I grew up in rural Pennsylvania and attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where I played Division I field hockey for the Minutewomen as a midfielder. Since then, I've lived in New Orleans, Louisiana and Manhattan, New York. I spend my free time running, reading, perusing archival fashion, and searching for the world’s best negroni. I also have a debonair tuxedo cat, Westley, who's named after "The Princess Bride." ### Author social links [Bluesky]()