The wordSwiftiedescribes a Taylor Swiftstan . Swiftae , meanwhile , is the second one-half of the scientific name of a millepede latterly christened in the singer ’s honor .
AsNPR reports , the full terminology isNannaria swiftae — Nannariareferring to a genus of millipedes unremarkably make out as “ twisted - claw millipedes . ” This exceptional specie was discovered atFall Creek Falls State Park , which cut across well-nigh 30,000 acres in central Tennessee . Though Swift launched her music vocation in the Volunteer State , that ’s not why she was opt as the arthropod ’s namesake . The real reasonableness ? Because the entomologist who first espy the new species , Derek Hennen , is a Swiftie himself .
Hennen told NPR that the name is a display of gratitude , as Swift ’s songs have helped him weather “ some rough metre . ” He seems to appreciate her new medicine as well as the sometime stuff : His top two running are “ New Romantics , ” from the 2014 album1989 ; and “ betty , ” from 2020’sfolklore . With its forest home ground and autumnal color system — chestnut brown body , outlined in orange — the “ Swift Twisted - Claw milliped ” definitely emulatesfolkloreover1989 .
It was n’t the only raw millipede species that Hennen identified during the search ; he nominate another oneNannaria marianaein honor of his wife , Marian . In sum , the outing turned up 17 previously obscure millepede species , which Hennen and his fellow investigator , Jackson Means and Paul Marek , detailed in apaperpublished earlier this month in the journalZooKeys .
How Swift feels about adding “ bug namesake ” to her legacy remains to be visualise , but she ’s in good companionship : Lady Gaga had atreehopper constitute after herin 2020 .
[ h / tNPR ]
