Agathidium fawcettae
Miller & Wheeler, 2005
Agathidium fawcettae is a of round fungus beetle in the Leiodidae, described by Miller and Wheeler in 2005. The species epithet honors actress Farrah Fawcett, following the Latin convention of using "-ae" endings for names based on women. It occurs across eastern and central North America, with records from Canada and the United States.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Agathidium fawcettae: //əˈɡæθɪdiːəm ˈfɔːsɛtiː//
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Distribution
Eastern and central North America. Canada: British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Quebec. United States: Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Human Relevance
The epithet "fawcettae" honors American actress Farrah Fawcett (1947–2009), following a tradition in the Agathidium of naming species after celebrities and public figures. This naming convention has been used to generate public interest in and biodiversity.
More Details
Etymology
The epithet "fawcettae" uses the Latin genitive feminine singular ending "-ae", indicating the species was named after a woman. This follows the naming convention established by Miller and Wheeler (2005), who also named related species after political figures and celebrities.
Publication
Described by K.B. Miller and Q.D. Wheeler in 2005. The authors named multiple Agathidium after prominent figures, contributing to a broader trend of using eponymous species names for public engagement in .