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**Scientists Get Creative Naming Newly Discovered Species, From Tardigrades to Beetles**

**Chennai, India – May 16, 2025** – The discovery of new animal and plant species is a constant process, with thousands identified each year. But what happens after a species is discovered? The naming process, as outlined in a recent article by The Hindu, is a complex blend of scientific rigor and creative license. Based on the Linnaean system of binomial nomenclature, each species is assigned a two-part name (genus and species) that’s internationally recognized.

The International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) and the International Association of Plant Taxonomy (IAPT) regulate the naming of animals and plants, respectively. While species names often reflect their characteristics or habitat, scientists also frequently draw inspiration from celebrities, fictional characters, and even jokes.

Examples abound: A millipede named after Taylor Swift (Nannaria swiftae), a genus of ferns named after Lady Gaga, and numerous species honoring figures like Sir David Attenborough. One researcher, Vishnudattan N.K., named a newly discovered marine tardigrade *Batillipes chandrayaani* to celebrate India’s successful Chandrayaan-3 moon mission.

According to Dr. Sandeep Das, a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Calicut, naming species after celebrities and other figures serves a dual purpose: to honor individuals or projects and to attract public attention to the often-overlooked world of species discovery and conservation. He even named a lizard he discovered Agasthyagama edge, as an ode to the Zoological Society of London’s international program, EDGE.

While the practice is generally accepted, controversy can arise. The naming of a cave beetle *Anophthalmus hitleri*, for example, has drawn criticism and calls for a name change due to the offensive nature of the reference.

The process of discovering new species is not always planned either. The recent discovery of the tardigrade Stygarctus keralensis was accidental. Vishnu was on a different research project, identifying the meiofauna along the coastal regions when the new species caught his attention.

The article also highlights the importance of local indigenous knowledge in identifying and understanding biodiversity.

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