BROOKLYN, February 6, 2026
Scientists Let the Internet Name a New Species—and the Result is Surprisingly Heartwarming
A newly discovered marine creature, a wood-eating chiton, has been dubbed “of the people” after a public naming contest drew over 8,000 submissions.
- Scientists from the Senckenberg Ocean Species Alliance (SOSA) crowdsourced a name for a newly discovered marine chiton.
- The mollusk, which resembles a cross between a snail and a beetle, uniquely feeds on sunken wood.
- Over 8,000 names were submitted by followers of science YouTuber Ze Frank.
- The winning name, Ferreiraella populi, translates to “of the people.”
Asking the internet to name something is often a gamble. For every charming success like “Boaty McBoatface,” there’s a risk of…less printable suggestions. But researchers with the Senckenberg Ocean Species Alliance (SOSA) felt confident enough to enlist the help of the 4.25 million followers of popular science communicator Ze Frank in naming a newly discovered species. After all, a species had already been named in Frank’s honor.
The creature in question is a marine chiton, a mollusk with a shell resembling a miniature armored beetle. This particular chiton has a very specific diet: sunken wood. It’s equipped with an iron-reinforced radula—a tongue-like structure—for scraping away at decaying timber, a series of protective plates on its back, and a muscular foot for locomotion. And, like all members of the Ferreiraella genus, its rear end plays host to worms that consume its waste. Plenty of inspiration for a creative naming spree, it seems.
SOSA received more than 8,000 name suggestions from Frank’s audience. “We were overwhelmed by the response and the massive number of creative name suggestions!” said SOSA co-chair Julia Sigwart in a statement. Among the contenders was Ferreiraella ohmu, a nod to a creature from Studio Ghibli’s animated films. Another suggestion, Ferreiraella stellacadens, translates to “shooting star chiton,” inspired by the tiny holes on the mollusk’s shell.
Ultimately, the team opted for a name that reflected the collaborative spirit of the project. “The name we chose, Ferreiraella populi, translates to ‘of the people,’” Sigwart explained.
Ze Frank announced the winning name in a video, which can be viewed here.
Lead image: © Senckenberg Ocean Species Alliance
