A rare species of yellow spider, found only in parts of Malaysia, was just recently given the name Heteropoda davidbowie, an homage to both Bowie and his 1972 rock opus The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. Peter Jaeger, a German spider expert who gave Bowie the nod for his “contribution” to the world of arachnids, told London’s Telegraph that naming spiders after celebrities is effective in attracting attention to mission of preserving the animals’ habitat. No word on whether is Jaeger is actually a fan of Bowie’s or his concept album. (via The Daily Swarm)
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September 8th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
Uh, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars came out in 1972, not 1976.
November 1st, 2009 at 7:31 am
A rare spider named after David Bowie? What a unique….albeit bizarre….tribute. This practice bequeaths a peculiar legacy. What’s next….a rare lizard named after Jim Morrison?