Biologists will often honor a person who first
discovered a species by naming it after them.
It’s an age-old tradition, one that pays
proper tribute to the contributions made to
science by their incredible discovery.
However, the rules have loosened over the
years.
It seems like many scientists today believe
that there is no problem with honoring people
who have absolutely nothing to do with creature
discovery: politicians, historical figures,
athletes, and celebrities are the main source
of inspiration.
Several reasons could be given as to why scientists
would do this, and most of them are just plain
goofy.
Such as …
10.
Cirolana mercuryi – Freddie Mercury
Even though the legendary frontman of Queen,
Freddie Mercury, looked like your typical
white European male, the truth is that he
was born Farrokh Bulsara, to parents from
the Parsi tribe of Zanzibar.
This is the same country where a rare species
of isopod was discovered, and since Mercury
is the most famous person ever from Zanzibar,
the biologists who made the discovery thought
it only fair to name the species after him.
This is how we ended up with Cirolana mercuryi?becoming
the second most famous thing Zanzibar ever
produced.
9.
Arthurdactylus conandoylei ? Arthur Conan
Doyle
The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle,
has been the Bible for lovers of dinosaurs
and wildlife for over a century now.
It tells the story of a place somewhere in
the Amazon, where dinosaurs and other prehistoric
animals still exist.
And even though such stories may sound ridiculous
today, back in 1912 (when the book was first
published,) many readers believed the hype.
Back in 1994, two biologists named Eberhard
Frey and David Martill named a genus of pterodactyloid
pterosaur after Doyle, since his novel included
extensive references to gigantic reptilian
pterosaurs.
This is how the pain-in-the-ass-to-spell Arthurdactylus
conandoylei?got its name.
8.
Pachygnatha zappa – Frank Zappa
Frank Zappa was one of the most important
musicians and composers of the 20th century.
He produced and composed over 60 personal
albums, while he collaborated with many other
artists, from many different genres of music.
Yet, for all his accolades and musical creativity,
it seems like most people will remember him
for his unique look, and even more unique
fat mustache.
His mustache stood out so much that it inspired
Robert Bosmans and Jan Bosselaers, two biologists
from Belgium, to introduce the Pachygnatha
zappa?to the world.
They named Pachygnatha zappa, a specific kind
of spider, after him?due to the spider’s
uncommon markings that resembled the mustache
of the famous rocker.
7.
Agra schwarzeneggeri - Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnie is probably one of the most successful
people you could think of.
He managed to become the youngest Mr. Olympia
ever, and is widely considered the greatest
bodybuilder of all time.
He would then conquer Hollywood, soon becoming
one of the highest-paid action stars of all
time.
His rising fame, and the numerous blockbuster
films, earned him a star in the Walk of Fame,
not to mention the governorship of California.
But it’s highly unlikely that Arnie ever
imagined that he would inspire science too.
Back in 2002, a rare species of carabid beetle
was named Agra schwarzeneggeri, since the
remarkably-developed middle femora of the
males resembled Arnold?s extremely muscular
biceps.
Who says biologists don?t love working out?
6.
Mastophora dizzydeani - Dizzy Dean
Dizzy Dean was a hell of a pitcher, and the
last man to win 30 games in a season to date.
Dean was known for his colorful personality;
way before Muhammad Ali and Joe Namath, he
liked to brag about his prowess and make public
predictions.
He would often act disrespectful toward his
opponents as well.
The unusual hunting techniques of the bolas
spiders of the tribe Mastophoreae reminded
scientists of the antics, playing style, and
excessive talent of Dean.
These spiders make a large sticky ball on
the end of a short thread and, just like an
elite pitcher, chucks the ball at passing
insects while hanging on another short, horizontal
“trapeze” line.
Just like Dean during his prime, Mastophora
toys with its victims before executing them.
This seems to be the main reason they got
the name dizzydeani.
5.
Dendropsophus?stingi – Sting
Sting is one of the greatest, and most sensitive,
rock stars of all time.
He has used his music and talents as a weapon
to bring people together, through numerous
charities, concerts for the third world, and
many collaborations with Arabic, Native American,
African, and Eastern European artists in an
attempt to bring different cultures closer.
Along with being a great artist, Sting is
undoubtedly a great man as well.
This is probably what ecologists were thinking
as well, when they decided to give Sting’s
name to a rare Colombian tree frog, recognizing
Sting’s valuable charitable work for the
rain forest.
This is how we ended up with the term Dendropsophus?stingi,
which literally means ?Sting?s tree frog?.
4.
Campsicnemus charliechaplini - Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin was an early Hollywood star,
famous for his characteristic facial expressions
which could make viewers cry a mere minute
after they were rolling on the floor laughing.
Perhaps the most iconic aspect of Chaplin
was his unusual style of walking, which eventually
crossed over into the scientific world.
Campsicnemus charliechaplini?is a rare kind
of fly that was named after the legendary
actor, for a very unusual and creepy reason.
When this fly dies, its mid-legs take a funny
bandy-legged position, which apparently look
exactly like Chaplin?s legs when he used to
walk around all Chaplin-like.
3.
Aptostichus bonoi – Bono (U2)
U2’s 1987 album The Joshua Tree?is one of
the biggest selling albums in history with
over 30 million copies sold worldwide.
It earned the Best Album Grammy award that
year, and Rolling Stone ranked it in the top
30 albums of all time.
And even if Bono and the rest of the band
anticipated all this success, they never could
have imagined the album’s name would end
up shared with a morphological species of
wafer trapdoor spider.
Since this spider was found in Joshua Tree
National Park, California, its discoverers
named it Bono’s Joshua Tree Trapdoor Spider,
or Aptostichus bonoi?for short.
2.
Norasaphus monroeae – Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe is the prototypical Hollywood
sex symbol, remembered fondly for her curves,
her sultry voice, and her iconic appearances
in Playboy magazine.
Speaking of her incredible body and curves,
it seems that the scientists who discovered?a
new species of trilobite had a thing for her.
They decided that the trilobite’s hourglass-like
shape reminded them of Monroe’s curves (not
to mention her bottom.)
Thus, they named the trilobite?Norasaphus
monroeae, after both Monroe and her given
name, Norma Jean (Nora, Norma — close enough
for science.)
1.
Scaptia beyonceae - Beyonce
Beyonc??Knowles is one of the most successful
musicians in recent years, as well as a contender
for Marilyn Monroe’s World Sexiness Championship
Title.
It is that sexiness, in fact, that has immortalized
her in the wacky world of science.
A group of researchers?decided to take a ?previously
unnamed species of horse fly, and name it
Scaptia?beyonceae.?But they didn’t choose
that name simply because they liked her music;
according to them, the horsefly has a distinct
golden-colored behind that reminded them of
Beyonc?’s.
According to them, this bug is the “all-time
diva of flies.”
That’s all well and good, but can science
get us a J-Lo bug too?
Maybe a dragonfly inspired by Nicki Minaj?
For science, of course.
