Myrmekiaphila neilyoungi

Myrmekiaphila neilyoungi
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Suborder: Mygalomorphae
Family: Euctenizidae
Genus: Myrmekiaphila
Species: M. neilyoungi
Binomial name
Myrmekiaphila neilyoungi
Bond & Platnick, 2007

Myrmekiaphila neilyoungi is a species of trapdoor spider, described in 2007 by East Carolina University professor of biology Jason E. Bond and Norman I. Platnick, curator at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. It is named after Canadian rock musician Neil Young.[1]

Bond & Platnick describe the male holotype and female paratype, which were collected in Jefferson County, Alabama,[2] in 1998. While specimens have been collected repeatedly since 1940, it was only in 2007 that they were recognized as a new species.[1] He co-wrote a paper revising the genus with Norman I. Platnick, describing this and several other new species.[3]

M. neilyoungi is widely distributed throughout Alabama, with one known locality from northwestern Florida.[1]

Bond received $750,000 in grants from the National Science Foundation in 2005 and 2006 to classify the trapdoor spider species and contribute to the foundation’s Tree of Life project.[3]

Bond opted to name the spider after his favorite musician,[4] Neil Young, whose music and activism on peace and justice he appreciates.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Jason E. Bond & Norman I. Platnick (2007). "A Taxonomic Review of the Trapdoor Spider Genus Myrmekiaphila (Araneae, Mygalomorphae, Cyrtaucheniidae)" (PDF). American Museum Novitates 3596: 1–30. doi:10.1206/0003-0082(2007)3596[1:ATROTT]2.0.CO;2.
  2. ↑ Roland Piquepaille (May 9, 2008). "Neil Young gives his name to a spider". Roland Piquepaille's Technology Trends: How new technologies are modifying our way of life. Archived from the original on May 15, 2008. Retrieved May 12, 2008.
  3. 1 2 3 "ECU PROFESSOR PAYS HOMAGE TO NEIL YOUNG THROUGH NAMING OF SPIDER" (PDF). ECU - News Bureau. East Carolina University. April 28, 2008. Retrieved February 18, 2014.
  4. ↑ "Neil Young gets new honor - his own spider". Yahoo! News. May 12, 2008. Archived from the original on May 17, 2008. Retrieved May 12, 2008.

External links

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