Naturalist gets his wings after damselfly discovery

PARIS - David Attenborough earned his wings on Wednesday after scientists named a 100-million-year-old damselfly after the veteran British broadcaster and naturalist.

The delicate creature, dubbed Mesosticta davidattenboroughi, was discovered in Myanmar's Kachin province locked inside a nugget of amber dating from the mid-Cretaceous, when dinosaurs still lorded over the planet.

Researchers decided to honor the TV personality for his long-standing passion for dragonflies and to belatedly celebrate his 90th birthday, they said in a statement.