A healthy rivalry between the Irwin siblings has intensified after a new species of snail was named after Robert.
Scientist Dr Lorelle Stanisic recently discovered a new species of native snail, named Figuladra robertirwini after the 20-year-old, making him the third Irwin family member to have a snail named after them.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Robert Irwin announces a new species of snail named in his honour.
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The siblings’ late father, Steve Irwin has the rare tree snail, Crikey steveirwini, and Bindi, 25, has a small charopid land snail named after her.
According to a press release from Australia Zoo, the species was named after Robert because of his “love for wildlife and the natural world”.
But in a recent TV appearance, Stanisic revealed she named the snail after Robert after noticing a sibling rivalry years ago.
“My husband John was telling Terri (Irwin) all about how he was in the middle of naming this cute little snail after Bindi,” Stanisic told the ABC.
“I took one look at Robert’s face, Robert didn’t say a word, you could tell, like all brothers, he was thinking, ‘Oh gosh she’s getting a snail’.
“I said, ‘It’s all right, Robert, I’ll name something after you’.”
“‘I had to decide which one I was going to name for Robert…”
Stanisic stuck to her word, and named her latest find after Robert.
“I knew of his love of photography, so in the hope that he might go and actually photograph some of the beautiful areas of the Eurimbula National Park and Rodds Peninsula,” she said of the areas where the snails can be found.
Figuladra robertirwini can be found in dry forests and vine thickets.
Irwin last week shared the news on social media, calling it a “huge honour”.
“This is particularly meaningful for me because so much of my environmental work is based around habitat preservation,” he said on Instagram.
“Even though this is a new species, we already know habitat destruction is one of the leading threats to this species.
“So it’s very important to get the word out there … and they’re definitely in need of our protection.”
His mum, Terri Irwin, responded: “Tremendous honour! What a special little creature!”
The official Australia Zoo Instagram page posted: “Congratulations Robert, this is so exciting!”