Virginia Tech scientist Derek Hennen shows his Taylor Swift appreciation by naming a newly discovered millipede Nannaria swiftae.
The Nannaria swiftae, or Swift Twisted-Claw Millipede, was recently discovered in the Tennessee Appalachian mountains, according to a recent release.
Derek Hennen, scientist at Virginia Tech, shared the names of the 17 insect species he and his team created, tweeting about how his love of Taylor Swift fueled this particular one. "I wanted to show my appreciation by naming this new species from Tennessee after her. A high honour!" the post read.
"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."
According to the release, this tiny creature proved hard to research, and the scientists embarked on a multi-year project to collect and record unidentified specimens throughout 17 different US states.
The Nannaria swiftae and the other species Hennen’s team discovered are detailed in a recently released study through ZooKeys.
