Researchers at the University of California, Riverside have named a newly described genus of Australian plant bugs Swiftiephylus in honor of pop star Taylor Swift. The findings were published on September 9 in the journal Insect Systematics and Evolution, detailing 12 new species of plant-eating insects across five new genera.
New Australian Insect Genus Named After Taylor Swift
The newly designated genus name combines “Swiftie”—a term for the singer’s fanbase—with Phylus, a common suffix for this group of insects. According to the study, the genus was named to honor Swift’s show-stopping talent, heart-wrenching lyrics, and the joy and comfort she has brought to many.
Four species within the Swiftiephylus genus directly reference the artist and her discography:
- Swiftiephylus taylorae, named directly for Taylor Swift.
- Swiftiephylus amator, referencing the album Lover.
- Swiftiephylus intrepidus, referencing the album Fearless.
- Swiftiephylus poetorum, referencing the album The Tortured Poets Department.
Appearance, Habitat, and Decades-Old Specimens
The inspiration behind the naming goes beyond fandom, as the insects share a distinct color palette with the singer. Doctoral researcher and lead study author Sarah Schroeder noted that the bugs feature a pale yellow body with red accents throughout.
Taylor Swift's iconic look is her blonde hair and red lips,
Schroeder said in a university news release. These insects are pale yellow with accents of red throughout. In the paper I refer to them as blonde.
Researchers believe this coloration helps the insects camouflage themselves among she-oak flowers in Australia, which display spindly red to orange structures.
Though formally described now, the insects sat unstudied for years. The physical specimens were collected across Australia between 1995 and 2004 during a biodiversity survey involving the American Museum of Natural History and Australian collaborators that yielded more than 50,000 total specimens. Christiane Weirauch, a postdoctoral researcher during those original expeditions and now Schroeder’s adviser at UC Riverside, directed Schroeder to examine the unstudied haul. Schroeder spent years working through 593 specimens before identifying the 12 previously undescribed species.
The bugs belong to the family Miridae, which is the largest family of true bugs with more than 11,000 described species globally. While they feed on Australian trees and shrubs, they are not known to harm their host plants or act as agricultural pests.
Conservation Goals and Celebrity Taxonomies
For Schroeder, a lifelong fan of the singer, connecting her scientific work with her personal appreciation for Swift serves a greater environmental purpose.
Taxonomy is the cornerstone of conservation,
Schroeder said. If we don't describe species, we don't know they exist and can't conserve them. Honoring Taylor through naming these species after her is a way to honor conservation science and bring attention to all the unknown diversity.
Akito Kawahara, director of the McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity in Florida, noted that naming insects after celebrities helps generate vital public attention for lesser-known creatures facing environmental threats and potential extinction. Swift joins a roster of other famous figures with biological namesakes, following past scientific honors for figures such as Selena Quintanilla and actor Jeff Daniels.