Who says entomologists can't have fun?

February 9, 2007

1 Min Read
Celebrity Critters

11:00 AM -- According to Mental Floss Magazine, Jerry Garcia, Boris Becker [ed. note: who?], James Brown, and Bill Gates, as well as Bush and company share the distinct pleasure of having creepy-crawly critters named after them.

Jerry Beary's a roach (takes a minute, but the significance of that one might catch up on you) -- while Bush, Rumsfeld, and Cheney have a shocking and awesome lineup of beasties named after them:

Apparently, these names aren’t always flattering. I was kind of shocked to learn that some scientists wear their politics on their labcoat sleeves... and even worse, that they use their powers to poke fun! Such was the case with Agathidium bushi, A. cheneyi and A. rumsfeldi, which are now all scientific names for types of slime mold beetles.

Not everyone can get off as easily as Hugh Hefner, namesake of a species of endangered rabbit, but then again, not everyone can get off as easily as Hef, I guess.

— Red Panda, Light Reading

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