Researchers at a university in Romania have named a Romanian Wimbledon and Roland Garros champion Simona Halep, a newly discovered species of insect on the Black Sea coast, where the athlete is originally from.
“The species is dedicated to the famous tennis player Simona Halep, born in the same region as the type locality”, say the scientists, referring to the place where the species was identified, in the article announcing the discovery of Phlebotomus simonahalepae.
Sandflies, or sand gnats, are venous blood-sucking insects and transmit leishmaniasis, a parasitic disease that can affect both dogs and humans.
As explained by Andrei Mihcalca, coordinator of the scientific study, The idea for the name came to him due to the proximity between the place where the species was discovered and the area of ​​the coastal province of Constance, in southeastern Romania, where Halep was born.
“We dedicate this scientific discovery to Simona Halep, as a tribute and token of appreciation for his performances and for how he bears the Romanian name all over the world“, the scientist has declared to the Romanian publication G4Media.
The 29-year-old Romanian tennis player, who has agreed to give its name to the species, He is currently ranked number 14 in the WTA ranking, and has a Roland Garros (2018) and a Wimbledon (2019) to his credit.