Scientists Name Newly Discovered Insect Genus After Taylor Swift
Sarah Schroeder, a doctoral student at the University of California, Riverside, has described four new insect species and named them after Taylor Swift. The study appeared Sept. 9 in the journal Insect Systematics & Evolution.
- 593 specimens were examined, collected across Australia between 1995 and 2004.
- The four species are named Swiftiephylus taylorae, amator, intrepidus, and poetorum.
- The genus name combines 'Swiftie,' fans' nickname, with 'phylus,' common to this insect group.
- More than 11,000 described species belong to Miridae, the family these bugs fall under.
Why it matters: Scientists have documented roughly 10 percent of Earth's biodiversity; an estimated 5 to 20 million insect species remain undescribed.
- Schroeder said taxonomy is foundational to conservation: species that aren't described can't be protected.
- The bugs' pale-yellow and red coloring may have evolved independently as camouflage among she-oak flowers.
How 5 sources split on this story
Center coverage, 2 sources: The center focuses on the factual novelty — what the bugs look like, what they do, and how the naming works — presenting it as a straightforward science-meets-pop-culture story.
Left coverage, 3 sources: The left emphasizes the personal story of a young female scientist connecting fandom to field work, and frames the naming as a celebration of both Swift's cultural reach and undervalued taxonomy.
What’s next: Co-author Christiane Weirauch says researchers should study the insects' anatomy during mating.
- More than 50,000 specimens from the same collection effort still await taxonomic study.
- Will Swift's association with the genus measurably increase public or funding interest in insect taxonomy?
- What function do the distinctive anatomical spines serve during reproduction?