Taylor Swift Gets a Scientific Tribute as New Insect Genus Is Named After Her
Taylor Swift has received an unusual new honour: scientists have named an entire genus of Australian plant-feeding insects after her and her music.
Researchers at the University of California, Riverside announced the new genus, Swiftiephylus, on September 9, 2026. The name combines “Swiftie”, the popular name for Swift’s fans, with “Phylus”, a term commonly used in scientific names for this group of insects.
The genus contains four newly described species: Swiftiephylus taylorae, Swiftiephylus amator, Swiftiephylus intrepidus and Swiftiephylus poetorum.
Their names are inspired by Swift herself and some of her albums and musical themes. “Taylorae” refers to Taylor, while “amator,” “intrepidus” and “poetorum” are Latin-inspired references to Lover, Fearless and The Tortured Poets Department, respectively.
The tiny insects belong to the Miridae family, the largest family of true bugs, which contains more than 11,000 described species worldwide. They are closely associated with Australian she-oaks, trees and shrubs capable of surviving environments ranging from tropical forests to coastal areas and extreme heat.
Interestingly, the insects themselves were not recently collected. Many of the specimens had been sitting in museum collections for decades after being gathered in Australia between 1995 and 2004 during a major biodiversity project involving researchers from the American Museum of Natural History and Australian collaborators.
Scientists eventually examined 593 specimens borrowed from the American Museum of Natural History and Australian Museum before formally identifying and describing the previously unknown species.
The connection to Swift goes beyond her fame. UC Riverside entomology doctoral student Sarah Schroeder, a lifelong Swift fan and co-author of the study, said she wanted the unusual naming to draw attention not only to the singer but also to insect diversity and conservation.
The insects’ appearance also played a role. Their pale yellow bodies with red accents reminded Schroeder of Swift’s familiar blonde-and-red visual aesthetic, while their colouring may help them camouflage among the red and orange structures of she-oak flowers.
For Schroeder, however, the real significance is scientific. She pointed out that scientists estimate millions of insect species may still be undocumented, making taxonomy—the science of identifying and naming organisms—important for conservation.
“If we don’t describe species, we don’t know they exist and can’t conserve them,” Schroeder explained.
So while Taylor Swift may be known worldwide for music, four tiny Australian insects now carry her name into the scientific record.
From the stage to the she-oak trees of Australia, Taylor Swift has officially entered the world of insects.
Taylor Swift Gets a Scientific Tribute as New Insect Genus Is Named After Her