Beyonce gets rare horse fly named after her
Australian researchers have named a rare horse fly after Beyonce in honour of its impressive golden behind. The Scaptia (Plinthina) beyonceae fly, found in far north Queensland and widely considered a pest, has been named in recognition of the unusual gold patch on its abdomen. The fly was first collected in 1981 – the year of the singer's birth. Bryan Lessard from Australia's science agency, CSIRO, said the insect's behind made it the "all-time diva of flies". "It was the unique dense golden hairs on the fly's abdomen that led me to name this fly in honour of the performer Beyoncé as well as giving me the chance to demonstrate the fun side of taxonomy – the naming of species," he said. The name complies with the rules set by the International Commission of Zoological Nomenclature, which allows for species to receive names honouring people, including celebrities. Other species dubbed in honour of celebrities include a frog, Hyla stingi, named after Sting and a spider, Pachygnatha zappa, named after Frank Zappa. A paper describing the Scaptia beyonceae horse fly, which are considered a pest but help to pollinate a wide variety of plants, has been published in the Australian Journal of Entomology. "Most Australian Scaptia species have been described, however these five new species of a sub-group have been housed in Australian collections since the group was last studied in the 1960s," Mr Lessard said. The CSIRO has contacted Beyonce for a response but is yet to hear back.
