New species of millipede named after singer Taylor Swift

With over 10 Grammy Awards, 30 AMA Awards and 2 Brit Awards, Taylor Swift is no stranger to the scene of walking on stage to receive awards.

But the most recent honor that this star has been bestowed with is perhaps also the most unusual: taking her name to name a new species of millipede.

The bipedal species Nannaria swiftae.

Researchers at Virginia Tech (USA) have named the new arthropod Nannaria swiftae, as a thank you to Taylor Swift for her contributions to the field of music.

Derek Hennen, lead author of the study, said: 'Her music helped me overcome the difficulties of graduate school. So naming her a new species of millipede is my way of saying thank you."

Nannaria swiftae is one of 17 new species of millipedes discovered in the Appalachian Mountains of North America.

The team says that the spiral-hoofed millipede plays an important role in the ecosystem. Living at the bottom of the forest, millipedes feed on leaves and other decaying plant matter, then release nutrients into the soil.

Singer Taylor Swift.

In the new study, the team of experts traveled to 17 US states to search for this bipedal species. They want to sequence their DNA and compare it with stored specimens.

In total, they analyzed 1,800 specimens and found 17 previously unknown species.

The new creature is 18 to 38 mm long and has a glossy brown or black body with white, red or orange spots and white legs. The males have small, twisted and flattened claws on their front legs.

Along with Nannaria swiftae, one of the new millipedes is Nannaria marianae, named after researcher Derek Hennen's wife.

Last month, scientists took the name of US President Joe Biden to name an extinct species of squid.