A Spanish marine biologist named a newly identified species of sea snail after the goalkeeper of the Cape Verde national football team [1].
The naming connects the world of marine science with international athletics, using the global visibility of the FIFA World Cup to highlight biodiversity discovery.
The biologist said he discovered one new species of marine gastropod [1]. He chose to give the creature a nickname based on the Cape Verde goalkeeper as a tribute to the athlete.
This discovery and subsequent naming occurred in June 2022 during the FIFA World Cup tournament [1]. The biologist said the snail’s characteristics reminded him of the goalkeeper’s performance on the pitch. He wanted to honor the player while the world was focused on the tournament's excitement.
Following the announcement, the story became viral on social media [2]. The intersection of sports fandom and taxonomic naming drew attention to the specific marine species and the biologist's work in Spain.
While the naming process focused on the athlete, some reporting on the event contained contradictions regarding other figures. Some reports described a referee involved in related incidents as Spanish, while others identified the official as English referee Michael Oliver [1].
“A Spanish marine biologist named a newly identified species of sea snail after the goalkeeper of the Cape Verde national football team.”
The naming of a species after a public figure is a recognized, though sometimes unconventional, practice in taxonomy to draw public interest toward scientific research. By linking a new gastropod to a World Cup athlete, the researcher leveraged a high-traffic global event to increase the visibility of marine biology and the biodiversity of the region.
