A newly discovered deep-sea crustacean, a small worm-looking species that grows up to 6.5 millimeters, got its name from none other than Metallica.
That’s right, the rock band was the inspiration behind Macrostylis metallicola, which inhabits the Clarion Clipperton Zone, a submarine region between Hawaii and Mexico. Drs. Torben Riehl and Bart De Smet discovered the species, and named it after the iconic rock band to honor the group, and also as a nod to the polymetallic nodules that make up the creatures’ habitat.
“We’ve played on all seven continents, made it into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and now… we’re a crustacean!,” Metallica wrote alongside a rockin’ sketch of the of the Macrostylis metallicola. “Not only did Dr. Riehn name his discovery after a band as he has been a fan since childhood, The Thing That Should Not Be has a few things in common with us,” the post continued. “The worm-like creature dwells in complete darkness, has no eyes, and is colorless. Talk about Blackened! It also lives amongst metallic nodules containing cobalt, copper, manganese, nickel, and rare-earth elements. So it basically lives in a rock stadium? Now that’s one metal crustacean!”
See it below.
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