Damselfly named after David Attenborough

An ancient species of damselfly discovered in Burma will be named Mesosistica davidattenboroughi after the veteran documentary-maker.

The insect was discovered in Kachin Province, Burma, preserved in a piece of amber dating from the mid-cretaceous period when dinosaurs roamed the Earth.

Chinese scientists who dubbed the specimen were the latest in a long line to honour the 91-year-old naturalist. Species named after Sir David include a 19-million-year-old marsupial lion, an extinct grasshopper, a giant carnivorous pitcher plant, a tiny Australian spider, an Indonesian weevil, and a Madagascan dragonfly.