A new species of ants discovered in Venezuela has been named after British group Radiohead.
“We wanted to honours their music,” said Ana Ješovnik of the Smithsonian Institution’s Ant Lab in Washington, D.C.
“But more importantly, we wanted to acknowledge the conservation efforts of the band members, especially in raising climate-change awareness.”
Sericomyrmex radioheadi is one of three new species of silky ants Ješovnik and her team found in the Venezuelan Amazon.
Unlike Them Yorke and his bandmates, the bodies of the female ants are covered with a white, crystal-like layer.
Ješovnik and Ted R. Schultz published their study in ZooKeys.
Earlier this month, scientists discovered a new species of pistol shrimp and named it after Pink Floyd.