Newly Discovered Flatworm Is Named After Obama

[rangerrebew]

Newly Discovered Flatworm Is Named After Obama

Introducing Baracktrema obamai
By Kate Baggaley 3 hours ago
The blood fluke *Baracktrema obamai*

Roberts et al. (2016)

The blood fluke Baracktrema obamai, which represents both a new genus and species of parasitic flatworm.

A new species of blood fluke was found infecting the lungs of turtles in Malaysia. This parasitic flatworm has been dubbed Baracktrema obamai, in honor of the President of the United States (who is the fifth cousin twice removed of one of the discovering scientists).

B. obamai is described in the August issue of the Journal of Parasitology as having a long, thread-like body. So far, it’s shown up in two freshwater turtles, the black marsh turtle (Siebenrockiella crassicollis) and southeast Asian box turtle (Cuora amboinensis).

The scientists found clusters of tens to hundreds of fluke eggs in the turtles’ lung alveoli, the tiny sacs where blood receives oxygen and gets rid of carbon dioxide. How these eggs get outside to hatch and infect new hosts isn’t clear, although making the turtles cough is probably involved.

http://www.popsci.com/newly-discovered-blood-fluke-is-named-after-obama

[GtHawk]

Newly Discovered Flatworm Is Named After Obama

Introducing Baracktrema obamai
By Kate Baggaley 3 hours ago
The blood fluke *Baracktrema obamai*

Roberts et al. (2016)

The blood fluke Baracktrema obamai, which represents both a new genus and species of parasitic flatworm.

A new species of blood fluke was found infecting the lungs of turtles in Malaysia. This parasitic flatworm has been dubbed Baracktrema obamai, in honor of the President of the United States (who is the fifth cousin twice removed of one of the discovering scientists).

B. obamai is described in the August issue of the Journal of Parasitology as having a long, thread-like body. So far, it’s shown up in two freshwater turtles, the black marsh turtle (Siebenrockiella crassicollis) and southeast Asian box turtle (Cuora amboinensis).

The scientists found clusters of tens to hundreds of fluke eggs in the turtles’ lung alveoli, the tiny sacs where blood receives oxygen and gets rid of carbon dioxide. How these eggs get outside to hatch and infect new hosts isn’t clear, although making the turtles cough is probably involved.

http://www.popsci.com/newly-discovered-blood-fluke-is-named-after-obama

The only thing that could make this even more fitting is if they infested the turtles rectally.

[bigheadfred]

@rangerrebew @GtHawk

although making the turtles cough is probably involved

Note to self...

[mountaineer]

Like this?

[bigheadfred]

@geronl @rangerrebew @GtHawk

August issue of the Journal of Parasitology

Please tell this mag doesn't have a centerfold.
I'm betting it reads just like the Congressional Record.

[bigheadfred]

Like this?

Yeah. No. That made me turtle up.

[mountaineer]

Parasites, Obama - sounds about right.