The opportunity to name a new species is a rare honour and one that is arguably taken more seriously by some than others… Whilst many newly discovered species are given humdrum descriptive names, relating to some physical aspect of the organism, others may be named after a favourite celebrity or even a foodstuff - or a favourite television programme.
Some scientists also seem to take naming as an opportunity to nerd-out over their favourite sci-fi franchise. There are quite an extraordinary number of animal and plant species that are named after Star Wars characters and elements. So much so that there is a dedicated Wikipedia page! Here are 10 of our favourite Star Wars named animals.
10 animals named after Star Wars characters
Wockia chewbacca
This is perhaps one of those occasions where the name of an animal is more exciting than the animal itself. These moths, found in Mexico, are small and of a dull grey-brown colour. They do have some small resemblance to their namesake, however - the ‘hair’ on its wings. According to the paper describing the species “The species epithet, Chewbacca, is named after the very large and hairy Wookiee character in the Star Wars movie series”. Does this moth remind you at all of Chewie?
Learn about another unusually named hairy moth – the Donald Trump moth
Urubaxia chewie
Chewie is beloved enough to have not just one, but four species of insect named after him! Another of these is this species of true bug from Brazil. According to the authors, they named it this because of its big size and robustness compared to other Urubaxia species.
Skywalker gibbon (Hoolock tianxing)
One of the few non-insects on this list, the Skywalker gibbon is rare in being a newly described primate. It is also rare in that it is, unfortunately, critically endangered. Only first described as a distinct species in 2017, there are as few as 150 individuals left in the wild. Its species name is tianxing, which translates to ‘heavenly movement’ in Chinese and reflects its graceful swinging through the trees. For its English common name, the scientists who named it were Star Wars fans and felt ‘sky walker’ accurately described the movement.
Xenokeryx amidalae
Often, even when Latin names are given after celebrities or fictional characters, there is still a descriptive reason. This is the case for this species of extinct horned ruminant, which was named after Queen and Senator Padmé Amidala "Due to the striking resemblance that the occipital appendage of Xenokeryx bears to one of the hairstyles that the aforementioned character shows in The Phantom Menace feature film."
Coptoborus leia
As with Xenokeryx amidalae, this species also makes reference to a favourite character’s hairstyle. According to the authors who named it, this species of bark beetle’s round body and bristles reminded them of Princess Leia Organa’s bun-styled hair. Sounds like a bit of a stretch to us!
Han Solo
If they are very lucky, scientists can sometimes have not just the species name, but the genus too reflect their favourite character or celebrity. This is true of this trilobite, named after the heroic Millennium Falcon pilot. Although the Han genus name is officially said to be in reference to the Han Chinese, the largest ethnic group in China (where the fossil was found) and the solo because it’s the only known member of that genus, the author later admitted that his friends dared him to name a species after a Star Wars character.
Tetramorium obiwan
Although sometimes fandom-inspired species names have some link to the animal itself, some resemblance in movement or appearance, sometimes they are seemingly given just because. This appears to be the case for this otherwise fairly unremarkable pavement ant species named after the Jedi master Obi-Wan Kenobi. There is however another species in the same genus with a Star Wars link: Tetramorium jedi. Clearly these myrmecologists (ant scientists) are particularly big fans!
Stormtropis
This next group of animals has perhaps a better descriptive reason for their Star Wars name. This genus of bald-legged spiders is made up of four distinct species, all found in Colombia. According to the authors, they chose the name due to the spiders’ behaviour and ability to blend in with their surroundings: “The stormtroopers are the soldiers of the main ground force of the Galactic Empire. These soldiers are very similar to each other, with some capacity for camouflage but with unskilful movements – like this group of spiders.” They appear to have refrained from making the species names Star Wars themed.
Read more fascinating spider facts
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Peckoltia greedoi
If you know your Star Wars, the name of this catfish will need little explanation. The resemblance between the fish and the bug-eyed bounty hunter is really quite uncanny. These armoured catfish are to be found in the Gurupí River of Brazil, however, rather than in a spaceport cantina (a "wretched hive of scum and villainy").
Yoda purpurata
With animals named after stormtroopers and minor bounty hunters, there must of course be species named after the greatest Jedi of them all, Yoda. There are, in fact, at least four, with this acorn worm being just one. This alien-looking marine invertebrate is the only species in the Yoda genus. It was given the name due to its large ‘lateral lips’ on the side of its head, which reminded the scientists of the Jedi master’s distinctive pointed ears.
