Recently discovered ancient sea creature named after Obama

A creature that lived in the Earth’s oceans 500 million years ago and whose fossil was recently discovered has been named after former President Obama, USA Today reported.

The creature was given the scientific name Obamus coronatus in honor of the president.

The prehistoric animal was disc-shaped and was only about half an inch long. It had raised spiral grooves on its surface and spent its whole life embedded on the ocean floor, scientists from the University of California-Riverside said.

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Obamus coronatus — a species that no longer exists — was one of the earliest creatures to exist on Earth.

It was discovered in a well-preserved fossil bed in a mountain range in southern Australia, USA Today reported.

“I’ve been working in this region for 30 years, and I’ve never seen such a beautifully preserved bed with so many high quality and rare specimens, including Obamus and Attenborites,” said paleontologist Mary Droser of the University of California-Riverside, referring to a second newly-discovered creature named after Sir David Attenborough, according to USA Today. Droser was the lead author of two new studies about the discoveries.

The once soft-bodied animal could be seen in the sandstone on the fossil bed.