A new species of sonic shrimp was named after the discoverers' favorite band: Pink Floyd.
A newly discovered shrimp that can create sounds up to the 210-decibel range now has a scientific name of synalpheus pinkfloydi.
Known as the pistol or snapping shrimp, it was found off the Pacific coast of Panama by Oxford University Museum of National History researchers.
Oxford researcher Sammy De Grave, who headed up the team, said that he has been a fan of the famous band since he was a teen. Years ago, he and his team vowed that if they ever discovered a new pink shrimp, they'd name it after the iconic rockers.
The synalpheus pinkfloydi uses the large pink claw shown above to make a noise so loud it can kill small fish. It's not the first time De Grave has named a crustacean after a legendary rocker: elephantis jaggerai is named for the Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger!
De Grave said,
"I have been listening to Floyd since The Wall was released in 1979, when I was 14 years old. The description of this new species of pistol shrimp was the perfect opportunity to finally give a nod to my favorite band. We are all Pink Floyd fans, and we always said if we would find a pink one, a new species of pink shrimp, we would name it after Pink Floyd."
Well, there you go.
The description of the species has been published in the Zootaxa journal.
Cover photo via You Tube.
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