A lobster-like ancient creature has been named after actor Johnny Depp because of its scissor-blade claws.
The Kooteninchela deppi is an extinct marine animal discovered by scientists at Imperial College London. The animal lived more than 500 million years ago. Its discovery is helping scientists piece together more information about earth during the Cambrian period, nearly 2 million years ago.
One of the scientists who first viewed the fossilized creature, David Legg, said that upon seeing it he, “Could not help but think of Edward Scissorhands . The Daily Mail quotes Legg explaining the connection to Depp’s most famous character, “Even the genus name, Kooteninchela, includes the reference to this film as 'chela' is Latin for claws or scissors.”
The cult classic to which Legg is referring is Tim Burton’s Edward Scissorhands, a 1990 film starring Depp about a man who was built by an inventor who was not able to finish his creation before his death, tragically leaving him with scissors for hands.
The Kooteninchela deppi is an ancestor of lobsters and scorpions, and used its blade-like fingers to capture prey from the ocean floor. It was only four centimeters long and had an elongated body with many legs, similar to that of a millipede.
According to People Magazine, Legg elaborated on the reasoning behind the name, stating, “In truth, I am also a bit of a Depp fan, and so what better way to honor the man than to immortalize him as an ancient creature that once roamed the sea?"
Whether or not the actor believes the naming is an honor is unclear, as he has yet to comment.
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