Leonardo DiCaprio gets beetle named after him

Pic Courtesy: Movie Still

London: Hollywood star Leonardo Dicaprio has had a beetle named after him honouring his years of environmental campaigning.

The 43-year-old Oscar-winning actor has been a committed campaigner for the environment for many years, creating The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation in 1998.

The Grouvellinus leonardodicaprioi was discovered at the bottom of a waterfall in Maliau Basin, a remote nature reserve in Borneo island.

It was found by Taxon Expeditions, a firm set up to help untrained volunteers discover new species. The expedition was funded by the DiCaprio's foundation.

''Tiny and black, this new beetle may not win an Oscar for charisma, but in biodiversity conservation, every creature counts.'' Dr Iva Njunjic, founder of Taxon Expeditions, said.

Other celebrities to have insects names after them include DiCaprio's "Titanic" co-star Kate Winslet, who also has a beetle named after her.