Mongabay · Climate & nature

New Genus of Australian Plant Bugs Named After Taylor Swift

Scientists have named a new genus of Australian plant bugs, Swiftiephylus, in honor of singer Taylor Swift. The genus includes 12 new species, with four named after Swift or her albums.

Four of the insects are named Swiftiephylus taylorae, Swiftiephylus amator, Swiftiephylus intrepidus, and Swiftiephylus poetorum, referencing Swift's name and her albums 'Lover,' 'Fearless,' and 'The Tortured Poets Department.' The authors cited Swift's talent and the joy she brings as reasons for the naming.

Study author Sarah Schroeder noted the bugs' pale yellow coloring with red accents resembles Swift's iconic blonde hair and red lips, suggesting this coloring aids camouflage on red flowers.

Swiftiephylus belongs to the Miridae family, the largest family of true bugs, with over 11,000 described species worldwide. The bugs studied were collected between 1995 and 2004 and borrowed from museum collections.

These plant bugs feed on Australian trees and shrubs but are not considered agricultural pests and are relatively harmless to their host plants. Unlike their namesake, they are silent and have no known musical abilities.

Naming insects after celebrities can generate attention for these often-overlooked creatures and highlight their environmental importance, according to Akito Kawahara, who studies insect taxonomy.

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