In honor of Jimmy Buffett’s “Margaritaville,” scientists named this yellow snail Cayo margarita.Hal Horowitz/WireImage/Getty Images; R. Bieler
- An eponym is a scientific species name that comes from a real or fictional person.
- Scientists have named many species after celebrities.
When a scientist names a newly described species, there are certain rules they have to follow. But that doesn't mean they can't get creative.
When choosing a two-word scientific name, researchers have long drawn inspiration from everything from myths to music to literature.
Naming a species for a celebrity can be controversial. Some scientists worry that naming a species after a famous person will lead to nomenclatural regret. The honoree might fade from the spotlight or tarnish their legacy. But they'll forever be linked to that insect, plant, or mammal.
Scientists in favor of the practice may simply want to create an ode to their favorite band. Others are trying to generate some buzz around a vulnerable species.
Here are 12 species, from lichens to spiders, and their eponymous celebrities.
David Bowie and the Heteropoda davidbowie spider
The scientific name for David Bowie's spider is Heteropoda davidbowie. Nigel Wright/Mirrorpix/Getty Images; Zdenek Macat/iStock/Getty Images Plus
German arachnologist Peter Jäger dubbed a species of huntsman spider in honor of David Bowie in 2008. Hoping to draw attention to the need to protect arachnids, he later named a whole genus of wandering spiders after the singer.
Beyoncé and the Scaptia (Plinthina) beyonceae bee-like horse fly
The horse fly named for Beyoncé is called Scaptia (Plinthina) beyonceae. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images; Wirestock/iStock via Getty Images
A rare species of horse fly was collected in 1981, the year Beyoncé Knowles was born. Bryan Lessard didn't name it until 2012. According to the entomologist, the "unique dense golden hairs on the fly's abdomen" led him to the name beyonceae. Others wondered if the fly's gold behind reminded him of the "Bootylicious" singer.
Johnny Cash and the Aphonopelma johnnycashi tarantula
You can call Johnny Cash "The Man in Black" and the tarantula named for him Aphonopelma johnnycashi. Mark Humphrey/AP; Dr. Chris A. Hamilton
Johnny Cash sang "Folsom Prison Blues" and dressed in black. A black tarantula was found near Folsom prison and Chris A. Hamilton and his colleagues were inspired to connect the critter and the country singer.
Angelina Jolie and the Aptostichus angelinajolieae spider
Angelina Jolie is a famous movie star. Aptostichus angelinajolieae is a spider that shares her name. Guillermo Legaria/Getty Images; Jason Bond
The genus Aptostichus contains dozens of species of trapdoor spiders. Many bear famous monikers, including Aptostichus angelinajolieae, Aptostichus stephencolberti, Aptostichus bonoi, Aptostichus pennjillettei, and Aptostichus chavezi. Researcher Jason Bond, now at the University of California, Davis, is responsible for naming them after Angelina Jolie, Stephen Colbert, U2's Bono, magician Penn Jillette, and labor activist César Chávez.
Sir David Attenborough and the Materpiscis attenboroughi fish
Materpiscis attenboroughi is just one of many species named for Sir David Attenborough. WPA Pool/Getty Images; William West/AFP via Getty Images
The Materpiscis attenboroughi is an extinct fish. A remarkable fossilized specimen was found by researcher John Long and his former colleagues at Museum Victoria. It still had an umbilical cord and embryo inside. Biologist Sir David Attenborough has this fossil and many other eponymous species to his credit.
Jennifer Lopez and the Litarachna lopezae mite
You might be more likely to recognize the mite Litarachna lopezae if you remember it's named for Jennifer Lopez. Unique Nicole/Getty Images; Vladimir Pesic
After avidly listening to Jennifer Lopez's music while working on a manuscript about newly discovered water mites, biologist Vladimir Pešić and co-authors decided to offer a "small token of gratitude" — her own eponymous species. Her songs and videos "kept the team in a continuous good mood," Pešić said in a statement.
Radiohead and the Sericomyrmex radioheadi ant
Researchers decided to salute the band Radiohead by naming an ant Sericomyrmex radioheadi. Jim Dyson/Getty; Ana Ješovnik
In 2017, researchers from the Smithsonian Institution's Ant Lab published a study on a new kind of ant. The females were covered in a white crystal-like substance. The scientific name they gave the ant comes from the band Radiohead. "We wanted to honor their music" Ana Ješovnik, one of the researchers, said in a press release. "But more importantly, we wanted to acknowledge the conservation efforts of the band members, especially in raising climate-change awareness."
Taylor Swift and the Nannaria swiftae millipede
Perhaps the most surprising about the Nannaria swiftae millipede is that it's the first species named for Taylor Swift. Jeff Kravitz/Getty Images; Dr. Derek Hennen
Derek Hennen is a Taylor Swift fan. "Her music helped me get through the highs and lows of graduate school, so naming a new millipede species after her is my way of saying thanks," the Virginia Tech researcher said in a statement. The Nannaria swiftae is an invertebrate that helps decompose plant matter, an important process for returning nutrients to the ecosystem in the Appalachian Mountains. They do not, however, weave little webs of opacity.
Bob Marley and the Gnathia marleyi crustacean
The species named for Bob Marley is Gnathia marleyi, a tiny crustacean. Mike Prior/Getty Images; Ann Marie Coile, Department of Biology, Arkansas State University
In 2012, Paul Sikkel discovered a not-so-friendly crustacean. The parasitic creature preys on fish in eastern Caribbean coral reefs. Despite its blood-feeding habits, the scientist named it after a musician he admired, Bob Marley. "I named this species, which is truly a natural wonder, after Marley because of my respect and admiration for Marley's music," Sikkel said in a statement. "Plus, this species is as uniquely Caribbean as was Marley."
Dolly Parton and the Japewiella dollypartoniana lichen
In the Unicoi Mountains, Dolly Parton can find her namesake lichen, Japewiella dollypartoniana. C Flanigan/Getty Images; Courtesy of The New York Botanical Garden; photo by Sean McKenzie
Appalachia is a haven for lichen diversity, and it's where one of the most famous musicians in the world, Dolly Parton, has her roots. Botanists Jessica Allen and James Lendemer described a species of lichen in 2015 and decided to call it Japewiella dollypartoniana. "As we sat on that rocky summit, we could not help but think of the inspiring example of Dolly Parton," they wrote in a statement about the lichen. "Ms. Parton grew up in a small cabin on the edge of the Smokies in Tennessee, rising from humble roots to stardom."
Peter Benchley and the Etmopterus benchleyi shark
The Etmopterus benchleyi is named for Peter Benchley, but you can also call it the ninja lanternshark. New York Times Co./Hulton Archive/Getty Images; D. Ross Robertson/Douglas J. Long
Best known for writing "Jaws," the book the movie was based on, Peter Benchley went on to try and dispel myths about sharks. Marine biologist Vicky Vásquez wanted to honor his conservation work, so the scientist named the bizarre ninja lanternshark for him.
Oprah Winfrey and the Hypotrachyna oprah lichen
Since 2019, Oprah has had an eponymous species of lichen, Hypotrachyna oprah. Lucy Nicholson/Reuters; Courtesy of The New York Botanical Garden
Four years after they named a lichen for Dolly Parton, Lendemer and Allen were inspired by another media mogul. Hypotrachyna oprah is a rare species of lichen that glows under ultraviolet light. This was the first species named for Oprah Winfrey. "We realized we had a new species from the southeastern US that had a bright UV fluorescence and was easily recognized in the field," Lendemer said in a statement. "It seemed like a perfect fit."