Humberto Basilio in Science:
In late 2024, philanthropists interested in wildlife conservation got an intriguing offer: Donate to a new fund that would provide small grants to young researchers seeking to discover new kinds of tropical animals, and you could help name the new species. The Arteaga Species Discovery Fund was the brainchild of Alejandro Arteaga, a herpetologist in Ecuador eager to boost tropical conservation by accelerating efforts to document biodiversity. “We are unlikely to be effective towards saving species if we remain unaware they exist,” Arteaga wrote on a website promoting the fund.
Involving patrons in naming scientific discoveries wasn’t new; scientists have long honored financial supporters by attaching their names to newly described plants, animals, and even stars, or allowing donors to select a name. Arteaga himself had named new species after prominent figures who supported his work, including actor Leonardo DiCaprio and Islamic leader Shah Rahim al-Hussaini (also known as Aga Khan V). But Arteaga’s fundraising pitch sparked a backlash from other herpetologists. Some had long been critical of such pay-to-play schemes, fearing they encourage researchers to sidestep scientific rigor in a bid to publish new discoveries that would attract attention and donations. Others wondered whether potential donors were aware of Arteaga’s decidedly mixed reputation.
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