There’s a new insect named after Lady Gaga, and we want your stupid bug, bug
The new unique species of treehopper, officially named Kaikaia gaga, was discovered on the Pacific coast of Nicaragua
Lady Gaga, Mother Monster herself, now has an itsy-bitsy monster named in her honour.
The new unique species of treehopper, officially named Kaikaia gaga, was discovered on the Pacific coast of Nicaragua, and it’s a true wonder of nature.
The bugs ‘sing’ to each other by vibrating plant stems, and sport varied and brightly-coloured horns that look like “gnarled branches, antlers, fruiting fungi, brightly colored flags or dead plant leaves”.
The responsibility for naming the bug fell upon Brendan Morris, an entomology PhD student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign – and he could not pass up the opportunity for a Lady Gaga tribute.
Gaga stan named the bug for ‘wacky fashion sense’.
Brendan Morris explained that there is some deeper meaning behind the name.
He said: “If there is going to be a Lady Gaga bug, it’s going to be a treehopper, because they’ve got these crazy horns, they have this wacky fashion sense about them. They’re unlike anything you’ve ever seen before.”
The entomology student added: “I love outrageous forms and colours. It blows my mind that a group that is roughly 40 million years old has so much diversity of form – diversity, I would argue, that we don’t see in any other family of insects.”
Kaikaia gaga in the forests of Nicaragua like: https://t.co/PZSwdSXOOw
— Brendan Morris 🌈 (@BiophileB) March 11, 2020
On Twitter, he wrote: “So thrilled that ‘my’ newest baby is making headlines, she deserves all the attention!
“Mother Monster’s music got me thru the gruel of the paper writing/revision process, and will certainly be the primary music I play when we’re on the hunt for live specimens of K gaga in Nicaragua!”
pic.twitter.com/IiZVC9ODSz— Brendan Morris 🌈 (@BiophileB) March 11, 2020
Lady Gaga bug has a friend in Beyoncé fly.
Of course, Gaga is not the only musician to have a bug named after them – Beyoncé also has a fly named in her honour.
Morris suggested: “I think it’s only fitting that @BrytheFlyGuy’s @Beyonce fly and the @ladygaga treehopper team up for the promised Telephone video sequel…”
Brendan Morris, an entomology PhD student, named the bug after Lady Gaga (Photo: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)
Lady Gaga is yet to respond to the news – though many of her fans seem taken by the announcement.
One wrote: “The LGB in LGBT does in fact stand for Lady Gaga bug.”
Another fan added :”BUGS GETTING NAMED AFTER GAGA WE CAN’T NOT STAN.”
