Sixth biological species named after Lionel Messi: Check out
What's the story
Lionel Messi, the legendary Argentine footballer, has been honored with a sixth Guinness World Record after a sage plant was named in his honor. The new species, Salvia messii, was discovered in the Peruvian Andes and is now part of an exclusive club that includes a lizard, a spider, a fossil brachiopod, a condor, and a fungus. The plant's flowers bear Argentina's blue and white colors, but it is sadly classified as endangered.
Plant details
Salvia messii is native to Peru
Salvia messii is a sage species native to the central and southern Andes of Peru. It grows on rocky, dry slopes at altitudes between 2,000m and 2,400m.
The plant can grow up to about 1.5m tall with pale blue and white flowers that resemble Argentina's national colors.
The name follows botanical naming conventions where a person's surname is adapted into Latin with an "i" added for possession.
Record expansion
Most species named after a footballer
In May 2024, Guinness World Records recognized Messi as the footballer with the most species named after him, with five at that time. The addition of Salvia messii brings his total to six.
The other species include Liolaemus messii (Iguanian lizard), Acanthogonatus messii (burrowing spider), Discinisca messi (fossil brachiopod), Vultur messii (fossil condor), and Cercopemyces messii (fungus).
Legacy impact
Plant's colors reflect Argentina's national flag
Messi's name has been immortalized in science by a number of researchers who wanted to honor his impact on the sport.
The latest tribute connects his sporting identity with Argentina's colors, despite the plant growing in Peru.
This comes after an illustrious international career, where he led Argentina to several titles, with the FIFA World Cup honor in 2022 being the most notable.
Information
Messi bows out of international football
In August this year, Messi announced his retirement from international football through a heartfelt social media post. After a recent farewell game, the Argentine legend bowed out with 126 international goals across 208 appearances, the second-most in international football.
Naming trend
Other footballers who have received this honor
The tradition of naming newly discovered organisms after footballers predates Messi's record.
In December 2009, researchers named 12 new microcaddisfly species after members of Brazil's 1958 World Cup-winning team.
Diego Maradona has also been honored with scientific names for a fossil damselfly, a parasitic fluke, and a sea snail.
Now, with the addition of Salvia messii to his record, Messi joins this unique club while raising awareness about biodiversity still being discovered by researchers around the world.