# Unknown Insect Discovery on eBay Dr Richard Harrington's Discovery By Pearl | Published 2008-08-26 | Unique Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/unknown-insect-discovery-on-ebay References: [telegraph](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/2591856/Unknown-insect-discovered-on-eBay.html) Who would have thought that an insect, previously unknown to science could be discovered on [eBay](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lastminute-auction), an [online auction site](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/zodiac-x-ebay-super-sea-wolf)? A scientist, Dr Richard Harrington purchased an amber (fossilized tree sap) piece with an ancient insect trapped in it. He paid just £20 or $40 for this tiny pill-sized specimen which was pretty cool anyway since it is millions of years old. The specimen came from Lithuania - the Baltic nations have long been a source of amber. Fossil aphid expert, Professor Ole Heie in Denmark later identified it as a long extinct aphid species that had never been seen before. Dr Harrington has a sense of humour. He said, “"I had thought it would be rather nice to call it *Mindarus ebayi*. Unfortunately using flippant names to describe new species is rather frowned upon these days.” So Professor Heie named it after the discoverer - *Mindarus harringtoni*. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 2.2/10 - Popularity: 22% | Activity: 35% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Unique](https://www.trendhunter.com/unique) > [Bizarre](https://www.trendhunter.com/bizarre) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Online Auction Discovery:** The trend of discovering new, previously unknown items through online auction platforms like eBay presents opportunities for collectors and scientists to find rare specimens. - **Amber Fossil Market:** The trend of buying and selling amber fossils online creates a niche industry for enthusiasts and collectors to acquire ancient artifacts. - **Naming New Species:** The trend of creating unique and meaningful names for newly discovered species offers opportunities for scientists to honor individuals or concepts while contributing to the field of taxonomy. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Online Auctions:** The online auction industry can leverage the trend of unique discoveries like the unknown insect on eBay to attract collectors and expand their user base. - **Paleontology and Fossil Collecting:** The specialization in amber fossils and extinct species opens up opportunities for paleontologists, fossil collectors, and educational institutions to study, display, and trade rare specimens. - **Taxonomy and Biological Naming:** The field of taxonomy and biological naming benefits from the trend of naming new species after discoverers or significant individuals, providing recognition and contributing to scientific knowledge. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Anime-Inspired Discovered Insects](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pheromosa.md) - [Life-Sized Puzzled Insect Capsules](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/insect-collection.md) - [Bug-Inspired Jewelry](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/murder-hornet-ring.md) - [Insect-Inspired Bronze Sculptures](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/insect-bronze-sculptures.md) - [Edible Insect Lollipops](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/pest-infested-pops.md) - [Auction Discovery Tools](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lastminute-auction.md) - [Insect Whisky Pairings](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/a-pairing-with-legs.md) - [Educational Invasive Species Kits](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/invasion.md) - [Natural Environment-Analyzing Drones](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/edrone.md)