Indian beetle named after rock 'n' roll legend

Washington, Jan 29 : An unusual Indian species of whirligig beetle is being named Orectochilus orbisonorum to honor late rock 'n' roll legend Roy Orbison and his widow Barbara.

Arizona State University (ASU) entomologist Quentin Wheeler announced the description and discovery of the beetle species on Jan. 25 during a Roy Orbison Tribute Concert, part of a weekend of tribute events hosted by ASU's Centre for Film, Media and Popular Culture and the Tempe Centre for the Arts.

The concert was attended by Barbara Orbison and hundreds of fans and people who worked with the 'Pretty Woman' singer.

"I have never seen an honor like that," Barbara Orbison said in expressing her appreciation for the species naming.

To mark the occasion, an original work of art, a pigment inkjet print titled "Whirligig", was presented to Orbison during the concert.

Pigment inkjet print titled "Whirligig " created by Arizona State University research professional Charles J. Kazilek.

"It's a token of admiration for Roy's body of work and all you do to keep his music alive," said Wheeler in presenting the artwork to Orbison.

The art, a painting with pixels on cotton watercolour paper, features nine images of a whirligig beetle in the style of the American artist Andy Warhol.

According to researchers, the new species "is unique among Indian Gyrinidae and Orectochilus Lacordaire, in general, since the ventral surfaces are white as the result of clear areas of cuticle allowing internal tissues to be visible."

A scientific paper describing the new species of Gyrinidae (Coleoptera), Orectochilus orbisonorum, was accepted for publication by Zootaxa.

ANI