Two weeks before Lady Gaga plays her first ever show in Costa Rica, the pop music superstar made a contribution to the country’s diversity – plant diversity, of course.
Duke biologists named 19 species of ferns (part of the same genus), located throughout Middle America and discovered in Costa Rica, after the flashy singer best known for hits like “Born This Way” and “Just Dance.”
Two of the species have not been discovered before, according to scientists at Duke University, in Durham, North Carolina in the U.S. One of the specieis, discovered in Costa Rica, received the Latin name Gaga germanotta, after the artist who was born Stefani Germanotta. A recently discovered Mexican species was called Gaga monstrapova. The name translates into “little monster,” which is the nickname for Lady Gaga’s collective of diehard fans.
The ferns were named after Lady Gaga for several reasons including the plants’ fluid gender definitions at one stage of life. The fern also bears a resemblance to one of Lady Gaga’s outrageous outfits, the researches said.
“We wanted to name this genus for Lady Gaga because of her fervent defense of equality and individual expression,” said study leader Kathleen Pryer, a Duke University biology professor and director of the Duke Herbarium. “And as we started to consider it, the ferns themselves gave us more reasons why it was a good choice.”
Other plant species have been bestowed celebrity names, including a lichen named after U.S. President Barack Obama and a carniverous jungle planet named for actress Helen Mirren.
Lady Gaga will perform a concert for Costa Rican audiences on November 3 in the National Stadium.
