Mick Jagger’s ‘Tactile’ Lips Inspired the Name of a 19-Million-Year-Old Animal
Rock and roll isn’t the only thing Mick Jagger has made his mark on. Scientists were inspired by the The Rolling Stones frontman and his prominent lips when it came time to name a prehistoric species of pig. However, this isn’t the first time the Stones have influenced scientific discoveries.
The Rolling Stones have inspired many species names
Scientists have named seven species of fossilized stoneflies after past and present members of the Rolling Stones. These include Petroperla mickjaggeri, Lapisperla keithrichardsi, Electroneuria ronwoodi, Largusoperla charliewattsi, Largusoperla brianjonesi, Largusoperla micktaylori, and Largusoperla billwymani.
The “petra” prefix in Petroperla mickjaggeri means “stone,” and the stonefly species are referred to as “Rolling Stoneflies.”
Three species of trilobites have also been named after members of the Rolling Stones: Aegrotocatellus jaggeri, Perirehaedulus richardsi, and Aegrotocatellus nankerphelgeorum. The last one is a reference to one of the band’s early names.
Mick Jagger’s lips inspired the name of a newly-discovered species of pig
The latest scientific discovery that bears a Rolling Stone member’s name? A 19-million-year-old species of “long-legged pig,” according to The Guardian. Scientists dubbed the newly discovered species Jaggermeryx naida, which translates to “Jagger’s water nymph.”
The pig species has a distinctive snout, with a “highly innervated muzzle with mobile and tactile lips.” This feature made the scientists who discovered the pig consider other stars with famous lips when naming species.
Ellen Miller and Gregg Gunnell, who co-authored the paper describing Jaggermeryx naida, both stated they were “huge Stones fan[s]” and, even though some members of their team wanted to name the pig after Angelina Jolie, Miller and Gunnell won out.
Scientists discovered the Jaggermeryx naida in an Egyptian desert. The area was once full of swamps and marshes. The remains of catfish, turtles, and waterbirds have also been found there.
“We imagine [the pig’s] lifestyle was like that of a water deer, standing in water and foraging for plants along the river bank,” Miller said, comparing the Jaggermeryx naida to a lankier pig or hippo.
Duke University, the Cairo Geological Museum, and Cairo University added Jaggermeryx naida fossils to their collections.
Celebrities like Kate Winslet, King Charles, and Leonardo DiCaprio have had species named after them
The Rolling Stones aren’t the only celebrities to inspire scientific discoveries. Former president George Bush, former vice president Dick Cheney, and actor Kate Winslet have all had beetle species named after them, according to the BBC.
A Southern species of marsh rabbit was named after famed Playboy founder Hugh Hefner. King Charles II has been honored with a tree frog named Hyloscirtus princecharlesi. Animal species aren’t the only ones that bear famous names; a tropical tree was named after Leonardo DiCaprio last year.
