Hollywood icon Harrison Ford has inspired plenty of fans over his decades-spanning career. But now the Indiana Jones star is even getting new species scientifically named in his honor – including a California ant and an Australian venomous spider.
While Harrison Ford already had a snake dubbed Californophis Harrisonfordi after his iconic Indy character’s fear of the creatures, he recently received two more tributes courtesy of the scientific community in 2022 and 2021. Researchers bestowed the accolades to show their admiration for the longtime actor.
Pheidole Harrisonfordi – A New Ant Species Honors Ford
In 2022, entomologists studying ants of the Pheidole genus discovered a new species with a striking brown and yellow striped abdomen in Southern California. The team decided to name the distinct ant Pheidole Harrisonfordi in tribute to local legend Harrison Ford, who lives in Los Angeles.
Lead researcher Dr. Eli Sarnat said naming the ant for Ford felt appropriate as they are both “tough, gritty, and tenacious.” The thing Ford has most in common with an ant is that they both thrive in hot deserts like Southern California according to the aptly named P. Harrisonfordi authors.
Calponia Harrisonfordi – A Dangerous Spider References Indiana Jones Whip
In 2021, a novel species of venomous spider was identified in Western Australia and granted the name Calponia Harrisonfordi in Ford’s honor. The researchers said its pattering resembled a whip, referencing Ford’s iconic weapon as Indiana Jones.
“These scientists keep naming critters after me, but it’s always the ones that terrify children,” Ford told Conservation International. “I don’t understand. I spend my free time cross-stitching. I sing lullabies to my basil plants, so they won’t fear the night.”
Unlike his character, Indiana Jones, Harrison Ford has repeatedly said he actually liked snakes and “found a quick kinship with this one”.
“The snake’s got eyes you can drown in, and he spends most of the day sunning himself by a pool of dirty water — we probably would’ve been friends in the early ’60s,” he said. “It’s a reminder that there’s still so much to learn about our wild world – and that humans are one small part of an impossibly vast biosphere.”
According to arachnid experts led by Dr. Danniella Sherwood, they felt compelled to name the hard-to-spot spider after the elusive Ford because both are “really reclusive but will emerge faithfully.” Like Indy exploring hidden caves, the Calponia Harrisonfordi spider lurks in underground burrows.
While many celebrities enjoy having popular songs or drinks named after them, few achieve the honor of having completely new species scientifically dubbed in their honor. Harrison Ford now shares that elite club with a tenacious ant and a whip-like venomous spider added to the snake that bears his name – a fitting tribute to the legendary adventurous actor.
Source: BBC
