Taylor Swift Gets a Surprising New Honor — A Bug Genus Named After Her

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News (1 / 1) 10.09.2026 03:03 / Julia

Taylor Swift has inspired a scientific tribute: researchers named a newly discovered Australian insect genus after her, with species echoing her name and albums. Read on to discover the full story!

From pop star to scientific namesake

A study published in Insect Systematics and Evolution announced a new genus, Swiftiephylus, containing four species given Latin names that reference Taylor and her albums: Swiftiephylus taylorae, S. amator (lover), S. intrepidus (fearless) and S. poetorum (poets).

Why Swift inspired the choice

UC Riverside doctoral student Sarah Schroeder, a co-author, said her longtime fandom and the bugs' pale-yellow bodies with red accents — which help them blend into Australian she-oaks — made the connection feel fitting. She emphasized that naming species raises awareness of biodiversity and conservation.