New Species of Spider Named After Rocker

Reuters

Posted: 2008-05-12 22:15:43

Filed Under: Science News

LOS ANGELES (May 12) - Iconic singer and songwriter Neil Young has had an honor bestowed upon him that is not received by many musicians -- his own spider.

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An East Carolina University biologist named a new species of trapdoor spider he discovered after his favorite musician, singer and songwriter Neil Young. The arachnid, found in Alabama in 2007, was named Myrmekiaphila neilyoungi. The name was revealed in May. Click through the rest of the gallery to see new and rare species of animals.

An East Carolina University biologist, Jason Bond, discovered a new species of trapdoor spider and opted to call the arachnid after his favorite musician, Canadian Neil Young, naming it Myrmekiaphila neilyoungi.

"There are rather strict rules about how you name new species," Bond said in a statement.

"As long as these rules are followed you can give a new species just about any name you please. With regards to Neil Young, I really enjoy his music and have had a great appreciation of him as an activist for peace and justice."

Young, 62, is a veteran rock musician who rose to fame in the 1960s with the band Buffalo Springfield and later became a member of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, whose 1970 release "Deja Vu" has become a classic rock album.

The singer/songwriter, whose solo work ranges from older albums such as "Harvest" to newer CDs like "Living with War," has long been an activist for social and anti-war causes.

Bond discovered the new spider species in Jefferson County, Alabama, in 2007. He said spiders in the trapdoor genus, who tend to live in burrows and build trap doors to seal off their living quarters, are distinguished from one species to the next on the basis of differences in genitalia.

He confirmed through the spider's DNA that the Myrmekiaphila neilyoungi is an identifiable, separate species of spider within the trapdoor genus.

Young is not the first musician to have a creature named after him. A species of beetle that looks as if it is wearing a tuxedo -- the whirligig beetle, or Orectochilus orbisonorum -- was named earlier this year after the late rock 'n' roll legend Roy Orbison and his widow Barbara.

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2008-05-12 12:36:56

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19 comments

cfalls1310 08:57:59 PM May 13 2008

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That spider is just like all of the rest, it is ugly and scarey. I hate spiders and am also scared to death of them. My sister in law was bit on the hand by one of those Brown Recluse spiders and was in the hospital for a month. ......................
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I like spiders, it's Neil Young that I'm afraid of. He looks like he could be a hundred and eight. OLD MAN TAKE A LOOK AT MY FACE , LIKE AN OLD WORN SHOE.

musailjim 07:05:44 AM May 13 2008

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I think Neil Young is a great song writer,but so was Ronnie VanZant. Neil wrote a song putting Alabama down and Ronnie wrote"Southern man,don't need him around anyhow". I bet Ronnie is shaking his head wondering "WHAT THE F...!!"

okieordabe 05:00:15 AM May 13 2008

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That spider is just like all of the rest, it is ugly and scarey. I hate spiders and am also scared to death of them. My sister in law was bit on the hand by one of those Brown Recluse spiders and was in the hospital for a month. They had to keep taking off more and more of her skin from her hand and arm. She almost lost her arm. The doctors kept saying she had strep throat of the arm. Now isn't that just brilliant? She lost all of the skin on her hand and had to grow more skin but we feel she was real lucky. It could have killed her.

raypsanjose3 11:56:30 PM May 12 2008

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It is getting closer.............

raypsanjose3 11:56:04 PM May 12 2008

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frhnyc,
There is one in the room with you now, watching...........................

raypsanjose3 11:54:25 PM May 12 2008

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frhnyc 11:00:52 PM May 12 2008

Report This! I hate spiders !! come at me with one and ill hurt myself or most likely you!!.
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