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The Pimple Named After Frank Zappa & 9 Other Crazy Organisms Named After Celebrities
Because who doesn't think of pimples when they think of Frank Zappa? Well, no one, actually, except microbiologist Andrea Campisano, who's a huge Zappa fan. That's why when he discovered that a pimple-causing bacteria that had moved and adapted to live on grapevines, he knew he must name it after the iconically weird musician: Propionibacterium acnes type Zappae.
And as it turns out, Zappa already has a ton of organisms named after him: a spider that has an abdomen that looks like his mustache, a jellyfish named by a scientist who really wanted to meet Frank Zappa (and did), a species of New Guinea slender mudskipper, an extinct mollusk, and an ancient Asian mammal.
Stranger still, the practice of scientists discovering organisms and naming them after celebrities is far from new. Here's just a few of the celebrities that have had organisms named in their honor.
Scaptia beyonceae
This diva of the insect world has got the booty and the bling as a horse fly with a golden behind. Because you know, Queen B is just so fly…get it? Get it??
Agaporomorphus colberti, Aptostichus stephencolberti
The Colbert Report host is very greedy when it comes to organism names. First, he begged for an animal to be named for him on his show, so he got the Aptostichus stephencolberti, a species of trapdoor spider. Then, he wanted an animal cooler than a spider, so he got Agaporomorphus colberti, a diving beetle. Still, neither of these come close to Colbert’s requests of a ”giant ant or a laser lion.”
Campsicnemus charliechaplini
Campsicnemus charliechaplini is a fly that dies with its legs in a bandy-legged position, much like the bowlegged gait of its namesake.
Cirolana mercuryi, Taeniopteryx mercuryi
Taeniopteryx mercuryi are a species of stone flies. And Cirolana mercuryi are a crustacean from Zanzibar, where Freddie Mercury (aka Farrokh Bulsara) was born.
Gaga, Aleiodes gaga
Aleiodes gaga is a small wasp named after the singer. And Gaga is a whole damn genus of ferns named after her — note species Gaga germanotta (her last name) and Gaga monstraparva.
Arcticalymene
An entire genus of trilobites (an extinct marine invertebrate) named after members of the Sex Pistols: there’s A. cooki (Paul Cook), A. jonesi (Steve Jones), A. matlocki (Glen Matlock), A. rotteni (Johnny Rotten) and A. viciousi (Sid Vicious).
Mackenziurus
Okay, so trilobite experts are really into punk music. This is another genus of trilobite named after members of The Ramones: Mackenziurus johnnyi (Johnny Ramone), Mackenziurus deedeei (Dee Dee Ramone), Mackenziurus joeyi (Joey Ramone), and Mackenziurus ceejayi (C.J. Ramone).
Norasaphus monroeae
Another trilobite — why do they get all the cool names? — named after Marilyn Monroe, apparently because it shares her hourglass shape.
Agra schwarzeneggeri
A species of carabid beetle whose legs look like tiny little Arnold Schwarzenegger biceps. Now if only there was a tiny insect gym…
