New, Strange Species of Crustacean is Named After Elton John

A unique and strange species of crustacean has officially been named after Elton John. While exploring the remote coral reefs of Raja Ampat in Indonesia, scientists stumbled upon a new species living inside another reef invertebrate.

"I named the species in honor of Sir Elton John because I have listened to his music in my lab during my entire scientific career," said James Thomas, the lead author of the new study, in a news release. "So, when this unusual crustacean with a greatly enlarged appendage appeared under my microscope after a day of collecting, an image of the shoes Elton John wore as the Pinball Wizard came to mind."

The new species is called L. eltoni. Surprisingly, though, the species has been found in Hawaiian waters as an invasive species. Most likely, it was introduced from Indonesia to Hawaii as a hitchhiker inside a host sponge or tunicate that was attached to a large, floating drydock transported to Hawaii.

"Such studies show the importance of regular environmental monitoring, especially in tropical environments," said Thomas.

The new findings could provide important information about reef health. More specifically, it could inform researchers a bit more about what impact this species may have on different habitats, such as Hawaii's.

The findings are published in the journal ZooKeys.

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