There’s an orange-haired huntsman spider that has the scientific name Heteropoda davidbowie…now there’s a triumvirate of microbes (specifically, parabasalian protist flagellates) named after the members of Canadian power trio Rush:
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Pseudotrichonympha leei, P. lifesoni, and P. pearti
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These symbiotic protists play a key role in the ability of termites to digest wood. These unusual microbes also contain an internal rotating structure that scientists really don’t understand. In the research paper, the team reports that the species form “patterns both so grand and complex” (quoting from the Rush song Natural Science), they also use the phrase “spiral array” later in the same section of their research paper, also a phrase from that song.
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The paper is otherwise quite serious and in the taxonomic summary, the team refers to the etymology of the names:
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“Species name refers to Geddy Lee [bassist/singer], a musician who, with other members of Rush [guitarist Alex Lifeson and drummer/lyricist Neil Peart], have inspired an interest in natural history and science through art.”
Each microcosmic planet a complete society…
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