A GROUP OF scientists have named a new species of water mite after Jennifer Lopez after her music helped them through months of research.
The newly baptized Litarachna lopezae mite was collected from a coral reef in Mona Passage, a treacherous body of water that separates Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.
Biologist Vladimir Pesic said choosing the name was a no-brainer:
The reason behind the unusual choice of name for the new species is…simple: J Lo’s songs and videos kept the team in a continuous good mood when writing the manuscript and watching World Cup Soccer 2014.
Pesic calls it a small token of gratitude for keeping them all going.
The species was found at a depth of nearly 70 meters (230 feet), the greatest depth that pontarachnid mites have been found until now, according to their study.
Previously, scientists have named a type of trilobite after Mick Jagger, a spider in honour of Bono, and a marine parasite found only in the Caribbean sea after Bob Marley.
