Taylor Swift Is Now A Millipede?
A new species of millipede from the Appalachian Mountains has been named after Taylor Swift. You read that right…
The Nannaria swiftae — or Swift Twisted-Claw Millipede
One of 16 new species named by some Virginia Tech scientists.
This new millipede species is Nannaria swiftae: I named it after @taylorswift13! I’m a big fan of her music, so I wanted to show my appreciation by naming this new species from Tennessee after her. A high honor! pic.twitter.com/fXml3xX5Vs
— Derek Hennen, Ph.D. (@derekhennen) April 15, 2022
Derek Hennen, Jackson Means, and Paul Marek named it in a new paper published via ZooKeys. Hennen, the study’s lead author, is the Taylor Swift fan who selected the name.
He noted on Twitter that he chose it for that specific millipede species because, so far, it’s only been found in Tennessee.
Derek explains: “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.”
Along with naming one of the new species after Swift, Hennen, apparently showing what a good husband that he is, also named one of the other new millipedes discovered, Nannaria marianae, after his wife.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45s71FCeF8s
