Sir David Attenborough finds it a "great compliment" that a species of plankton has been named after ‘Blue Planet’.
The 91-year-old naturalist – who narrates the critically acclaimed series – is over the moon that the organism, which is seven times thinner than the width of a human hair, has been named Syracosphaera azureaplaneta.
Speaking at University College London – where the plankton were on display, David said: "I think they’re marvellous. I think they’re stunning.
"If you said that plankton, the phytoplankton, the green oxygen-producing plankton in the oceans is more important to our atmosphere than the whole of the rainforest, which I think is true, people would be astonished. They are an essential element in the whole cycle of oxygen production and carbon dioxide and all the rest of it, and you mess about with this sort of thing and the echoes and the reverberations and the consequences extend throughout the atmosphere."
It’s thought to be the first time a species has been named after a television programme.
Executive producer of Blue Planet II James Honeyborne said: "Phytoplankton may be tiny but they are the basis of all life in the ocean – feeding everything from baby fish to great whales – and they help keep our seas, and indeed our whole planet healthy. It’s a great honour for everyone in our wider ‘Blue Planet II’ team: our filmmakers, camera operators, associated scientists and conservationists, explorers and support teams, to be associated with such an impactful form of life."
‘Blue Planet II’ wrapped up on screens last year, but there’s a possibility of a third series as the programme’s producer James Honeyborne believes there’s "so much more to explore" in the underwater world.
He said at the time: "We are working with our co-producers at BBC America on potential exhibitions. It’s something we’d love to do.
"We have only scratched the surface with ‘Blue Planet II’. We are only just coming to terms with the immense popularity of the series. It’s wonderful for us to know oceanography and marine biology can attract that sort of audience. There is so much more to explore. There’s always potential for ‘Blue Planet III’."
The second ‘Blue Planet’, which hit screens 16 years after the first aired, took over a decade-and-a-half to film.
Sir David Attenborough honoured plankton named after Blue Planet
