Celebrity names used for new species
2012-12-20 20:55
Frankfurt - A jellyfish named after musician Frank Zappa and
an ape named after comedian John Cleese: whenever a new species is found, it
needs a name, and in recent years the scientists who do the naming increasingly
have been using celebrity names in taxonomy.
There is a type of horsefly named after singer Beyonce,
apparently because of a likeness to her backside.
A blood-sucking parasite is named after reggae musician Bob
Marley and a spider is named after actor Harrison Ford.
The prominent namesakes don't have to be asked for
permission, said spider researcher Peter Jaeger of Frankfurt. He has personally
named spiders after David Bowie and a half dozen other prominent people.
All have reacted positively thus far to having their names
used in binomial nomenclature, which is the formal system of naming species of
organisms by giving each a two-part Latin-inflected name.
Jaeger said one German entertainer wanted to accompany him
to Laos in order to see the spider named after him with his own eyes. But
Jaeger said using prominent people's names serves a higher purpose.
"It's about sending a message that the species is
endangered," said Jaeger. "I find it good when science comes down
from its ivory tower."
Normally only a handful of fellow scientists read the list of
newly discovered species of spiders. Hundreds are discovered per year and they
must be described and named. When a spider receives the name of a prominent
person, it's more likely to get publicity.
New plants
Ever since the Swede Carl Linnaeus first published his rules
of taxonomy in 1735, the person who discovers a new species gets to name it.
The full name must follow a particular scheme: genus first, followed by
species.
Thus a Bolivian orchid named after Mikhail Gorbachev, former
leader of the Soviet Union, is the Maxillaria gorbatschowii.
New types of plants also need names, and roses are a classic
example. There's hardly a known name that hasn't been immortalised as a rose.
However, these usually are hybrids.
Someone who wants the ultimate accolade must lend their name
to a genus, which comes up for naming much less often.
This was an honour bestowed on Lady Gaga in October when US
scientists named a genus of fern with 19 different species after her.
The scientists at Duke University in North Carolina
discovered amazingly similar characteristics between the singer and the fern.
For example, in a particular phase of life the genus has an undefined gender
and its looks resemble Gaga's famous costumes.
Beyond that Gaga - the letters GAGA - is spelled out in its
DNA sequence, said the New York Times.
Private people can also be immortalised, but there's a
price. In exchange for about $3 400, the association Biopat offers the right to
name an organism. Orchids are the most popular, along with butterflies, frogs
and bugs.
The money is used for environmental projects in the
organism's land of origin or for the good of science.
- SAPA
