Bloodsucking Parasite Named After Bob Marley 64
Hugh Pickens writes "The Christian Science Monitor reports that Gnathia marleyi, a tiny crustacean that feeds off the blood of reef-dwelling Caribbean fish, has been named in honor – for lack of a better term – of the Jamaican musician Bob Marley. Marley, who died in 1981, was an iconic exponent of the Jamaican-born music known as reggae. One of his standards is 'No Woman, No Cry.' Marley joins the 'I have a species named after me' club, which includes Barack Obama, Stephen Colbert, Mick Jagger, and Beyonce. 'I named this species, which is truly a natural wonder, after Marley because of my respect and admiration for Marley's music,' says Paul Sikkel, an assistant professor of marine ecology at Arkansas State University. 'Plus, this species is as uniquely Caribbean as was Marley.' Juvenile gnathid isopods hide within coral rubble or algae so they can launch surprise attacks on fish, and then infest them. As adults, the parasites don't eat. 'We believe that adults subsist for two to three weeks on the last feedings they had as juveniles and then die, hopefully after they have reproduced,' says Sikkel. Specimens of Gnathia marleyi will be housed indefinitely at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. 'We are currently discussing with AMNH the possibility of creating an exhibit featuring this species that could be viewed by the public.'"
Rather Ironic (Score:4, Interesting)
The funny thing is he was rather anti-science and anti-medicine. I mean the guy refused to be treated for skin cancer because of his religious beliefs... skin cancer is easy to treat compared to most other cancers, you just remove it.
I'd almost put it up for the darwin award, where people let religious beliefs kill them.
Also unlike the stereotypical peace-loving image, he was known to get in quite a few fights in his day. He was also quite rebellious. I don't see this as a bad thing, but I think it is kind of crazy how he has been romanticized as a bringer of peace after his death.
lyrics (Score:3, Interesting)
Sponsor a species (Score:4, Interesting)
Ok, I know this is desperate but with the ecosystem facing another Great Extinction (where a substantial portion of the species on Earth are going to be driven to extinction except this time is because of US)* we've got to do something.
Why not auction off the names of newly discovered species? (And preferably give the money to conservation efforts).
I think people (and maybe even corporations) would be more interested in conservation if they had a species named after them. If they knew their species was endangered or the habitat their species lived in was threatened, they might rally to save it. I mean, this is another form of IMMORTALITY, very few people will be remembered after a few centuries but a species name? It reminds me of the scientist Seaborg, he said while other scientists got Nobel prizes he was on the periodic table for eternity! (or something like that).
Maybe if we get REALLY desperate we could re-name already named species. I know it's repulsive but surely Exxon would pay a huge amount to have the (scientific) name of the Tiger changed to it. Or Apple would similarly pay perhaps for the entire family of apples to be named, well you get it.
While unglamorous (is that a word?) species wouldn't fetch much money perhaps, in some cases, that could be turned around. Consider the guinea worm, a species very close to eradication (yay!). Just like smallpox, it could be named because there is no such thing as bad publicity. (Some pest removal company would probably pay dearly for that name!).
*no I don't mean US as in United States (although I know we bear more than our share of the blame). Anyway, have you seen the funny video "So you've got a case of the Humans"?
Re:Sponsor a species (Score:4, Interesting)