Four new insect species named after Taylor Swift
A new study published in the journal Insect Systematics and Evolution reports the discovery of 12 new insect species in Australia. A new genus of insects from the family Psyllidae has been named Swiftiephylus as a tribute to Taylor Swift, including four species named after her and her albums. The bright yellow insects with red accents resemble, according to researchers, Swift's blonde look and red lipstick.
A new study published yesterday (Wednesday) in the journal Insect Systematics and Evolution reports the discovery of 12 new species of plant-eating insects in Australia. As part of the research, a new genus of insects from the family Psyllidae was defined, receiving the scientific name Swiftiephylus—a tribute to singer Taylor Swift. The new genus includes four species named in Latin after Swift and some of her albums: Swiftiephylus taylorae (after the singer), Swiftiephylus amator (after the album Lover), Swiftiephylus intrepidus (after the album Fearless), and Swiftiephylus poetorum (after the album The Tortured Poets Department). The insects, which feed on casuarina tree vegetation, are characterized by a bright yellow appearance with red accents, providing them with camouflage. Sarah Schroeder, a doctoral student in entomology at the University of California, Riverside (UCR) and co-author of the study, explained that Taylor Swift's typical look includes blonde hair and red lipstick, similar to these insects. Schroeder added that beyond the personal tribute, the goal is to raise awareness of the importance of classification and conservation of unfamiliar nature. The insect specimens were collected in Australia from 1995 to 2004 by researchers from the American Museum of Natural History in collaboration with local researchers. The total collection included more than 50,000 items. This is not the first time researchers at the University of California, Riverside have named a new species after a famous personality: in 2022, a species of nematode worm was named after actor Jeff Daniels.