Myrmekiaphila neilyoungi

Myrmekiaphila neilyoungi is a species of spider in the family Euctenizidae,[1] described in 2007 by East Carolina University professor of biology Jason E. Bond and Norman I. Platnick, curator at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. It is named after Canadian rock musician Neil Young.[2]

Myrmekiaphila neilyoungi
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Subphylum: Chelicerata
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Infraorder: Mygalomorphae
Family: Euctenizidae
Genus: Myrmekiaphila
Species:
M. neilyoungi
Binomial name
Myrmekiaphila neilyoungi

Bond & Platnick described the male holotype and female paratype, which were collected in Jefferson County, Alabama, in 1998. While specimens have been collected repeatedly since 1940, it was only in 2007 that they were recognized as a new species.[2] He co-wrote a paper revising the genus with Norman I. Platnick, describing this and several other new species.[3]

M. neilyoungi is widely distributed throughout Alabama, with one known locality from northwestern Florida.[2]

Bond received $750,000 in grants from the National Science Foundation in 2005 and 2006 to classify the species of the family Cyrtaucheniidae and contribute to the foundation's Tree of Life project.[3]

Bond opted to name the spider after his favorite musician,[4] Neil Young, whose music and activism on peace and justice he appreciates.[3]

References
  1. "Taxon details Myrmekiaphila neilyoungi Bond & Platnick, 2007", World Spider Catalog, Natural History Museum Bern, retrieved 2016-07-22
  2. Jason E. Bond & Norman I. Platnick (2007). "A Taxonomic Review of the Trapdoor Spider Genus Myrmekiaphila (Araneae, Mygalomorphae, Cyrtaucheniidae)" (PDF). American Museum Novitates (3596): 1–30. doi:10.1206/0003-0082(2007)3596[1:ATROTT]2.0.CO;2.
  3. "ECU PROFESSOR PAYS HOMAGE TO NEIL YOUNG THROUGH NAMING OF SPIDER" (PDF). ECU - News Bureau. East Carolina University. April 28, 2008. Retrieved February 18, 2014.
  4. "Neil Young gets new honor - his own spider". Yahoo! News. May 12, 2008. Archived from the original on May 17, 2008. Retrieved May 12, 2008.
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