‘I love my wife so much... I named a mite after her’

A Maltese researcher who specialises in reptiles has discovered a new species of mite unique to Malta that lives on geckos – and named it after his wife. “Esther’s gecko mite, or Geckobia estherae, is new to science and it is a localised endemic mite which means it is only found in Wied is-Sewda in the limits of Qormi,” said Arnold Sciberras. The mite, a microscopic parasite, lives on the Moorish gecko – one of the two gecko species found in Malta together with the Turkish gecko. Mr Sciberras and his colleagues, researchers Michael Bertrand and Walter Pfliegler, worked on their discovery for eight years throughout which his wife Esther offered them great support. “So we felt we should name our work after her. Some people asked me why I’d named a mite after my wife, of all things. But she appreciates it. She too has a passion for nature, especially insects, and she understands what effort went behind our work,” Mr Sciberras said. “The name of the species will remain there forever. It is the only eternal gift I could ever give her,” he said adding that his wife, whom he married four years ago, has been his pillar of support throughout the 13 years they have been together. Mr...