Spiders named after pop song titles to bring scientific research closer to the general public

To raise awareness about environmental protection, a Chinese scientist decided to name the species of spiders he discovered from song titles by a Taiwanese pop musician very famous in China.

A “rainbow spider”, a “dragon fist spider” or even a “secret code spider”, are the cute little names given by a Chinese scientist, Mi Xiaoqi, a professor from southwest China , to the 16 new specimens of spiders that he discovered and revealed in a very serious scientific journal, entitled “Zoological research: diversity and conservation”.

But the little names he gave to these spiders are nothing academic, since they are all inspired by song titles by a Taiwanese pop musician very famous in China: Jay Chou. Jay Chou, who is 45 years old, has become very popular around the world with his dramatic love songs. With more than 30 million records sold, Jay Chou is by far the most downloaded Mandarin singer in the world.

Thanks to Jay Chou, Professor Mi Xiaoqi’s spiders are now famous. The article in the academic journal even went viral on social networks, which is not very common for a scientific article. The professor also explains that he voluntarily named the spiders after Jay Chou’s songs to bring the general public closer to scientific research, and so that more people get involved in protecting the environment and are interested in the fate of little critters.

Spiders, essential to the balance of ecosystems, are also threatened by the destruction of their habitats, pollution and climate change. In France alone, more than 10% of their species are at risk of sudden extinction. So why not call them “rainbow spider”, “dragon fist spider” or “secret code spider”, named after other Jay Chou love songs. Moreover, spiders are incorrigible romantics, as Victor Hugo wrote, saying:love spiders and nettles“, “because we hate them“, and because “as long as we forget to crush them, as long as we cast a less superb glance at them, in a low voice, far from the daylight, the bad beast and the weeds murmur: love!“