Scientists have discovered a new, bizarre species of worms in Southeast Asia, and even named it in honor of President Barack Obama.

These newly discovered species of flatworms apparently cause infections in Asian box turtles, that are also native to Malaysia. This flatworm can be described as measuring around two inches long that is about as thin as a strand of hair.

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Known as the Baracktrema obamai parasite, scientists consider this rather unusual that they created a new genus which is also the first of its kind for turtle parasites in more than 20 years.

According to parasitologists, this new parasite species are most likely ancestors of parasitic flatworms that plague humans with diseases like schistosomiasis, where more than a million people around the world are now suffering from, especially in developing nations.

This new study can now shed new light about how to treat diseases like this in humans by providing new insights about the evolution of this type of parasite.

The team was led by Thomas R. Platt from the Saint Mary's College in Indiana, where they discovered these new species of parasite flatworms that are also known as "blood flukes". Platt has previously discovered 32 species of parasites during the course of his career.

Why name a parasite after the U.S. President? Platt has named other species he already discovered over the years after the people he admire. He says that this is meant to be a permanent tribute, as the Baracktrema obamai will endure as long as systematists are continuously studying these organisms.

Several other animal species are also named after President Obama, that includes another parasite and an extinct lizard, which is considered to be a great honor altogether by the scientific community.

This new study is published in The Journal of Parasitology.