Beetle Named For Stephen Colbert

[sabra]

Source: KPHO

'What Has 6 Legs And Is Way Cooler Than A Spider?' Birthday Card Asks

PHOENIX -- Comedian Steven Colbert received an early 45th birthday present from entomologists from Arizona State University and the University of New Mexico: a framed print of a Venezuelan diving beetle named after the political satirist.

The beetle, known as Agaporomorphus colberti, was named by ASU entomologist Quentin Wheeler and UNM entomologist Kelly Miller.

"Last year, Stephen shamelessly asked the science community to name something 'cooler' than a spider to honor him," Wheeler said. "His top choices were a giant ant or a laser lion. While those would be cool species to discover, our research involves beetles, and they are 'way cooler' than a spider any day."

The beetle shares its namesake with a trap-door spider (Aptostichus stephencolberti), a treadmill on the International Space Station (Combined Operational Load-Bearing External Resistance Treadmill, or COLBERT), an elephant seal (Stelephant Colbert), a falcon (Esteban Colbert) and a bald eagle (Stephen Jr.).

Read more: http://www.kpho.com/news/19428446/detail.html

[Hugin]

1. The Fifth Beetle Found.

That's how I would've headlined this article.

[LosinIt]

2. Good One!

But the younguns may not have gotten it.

[Hugin]

3. At least it wasn't a tumble-bug.

Those seem to be reserved for the previous Administration. ;)

Thanks.

[MineralMan]

4. Also Breaking: New Slug Species Named after Limbaugh...

[liberalmuse]

5. Centuries from now, the Colbertians are going to wonder, WTF?

Why did they start naming everything, 'Colbert' in the early 20th Century?

[No Elephants]

6. The early 21st century.

[DebbieCDC]

7. They didn't -- this is the 21st Century