Climate activist Greta Thunberg now has a beetle named after her

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Climate activist Greta Thunberg now has a tiny beetle named after her.

The insect, called “Nelloptodes gretae”, is less than a millimeter in length and has no eyes or wings, the London Natural History Museum says. It was named in honor of the 16-year-old environmentalist on Friday after Michael Darby, a scientific associate at the Museum, found it in one of its collections.

“I chose this name as I am immensely impressed with the work of this young campaigner and wanted to acknowledge her outstanding contribution in raising awareness of environmental issues” Darby said in a statement.

The new species of beetle Nelloptodes gretae, named after Swedish environmental campaigner Greta Thunberg. (Entomologist’s Monthly Magazine)

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The Nelloptodes gretae belongs to the Ptiliidae family of beetles and was first collected in samples of soil and leaf litter taken from Nairobi, Kenya, in the 1960s, the Museum says.

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg speaks to several thousand people at a climate strike rally last Friday in Denver, Colo. (AP)

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“There are likely hundreds of exciting new species still to be discovered around the world as well as in the vast collections of the Natural History Museum,” said Max Barclay, a senior curator, in the statement.

“The name of this beetle is particularly poignant since it is likely that undiscovered species are being lost all the time, before scientists have even named them, because of biodiversity loss -- so it is appropriate to name one of the newest discoveries after someone who has worked so hard to champion the natural world and protect vulnerable species,” he added.

Fox News' Thairy Lantigua contributed to this report.