A new species of creepy-crawly that largely lives underground has been named after pop sensation Taylor Swift. The twisted-claw millipede or Nannaria swiftae, was one of 17 new species discovered in the Appalachian Mountains of the United States.
The lead author of the new study, Dr Derek Hennen is a fan of the singer and wanted to thank her in his own unique way. He said: "Her music helped me get through the highs and lows of graduate school, so naming a new millipede species after her is my way of saying thanks."
Luckily there were enough new species that he could also name one after his wife Marian, Nannaria marianae. The new Tyalor Swift millipede, described in the open access journal ZooKeys ranges between 18 and 38 mm long.
