The crab was named after a board game and beloved Yordle from Bandle city.
A new crab species has been discovered in the coral reefs of the South China Sea. While this discovery is fascinating on its own, what makes it even more interesting is that scientists named it after a League of Legends champion.
The crab, called "Gothus Teemo," is named after the popular (and infamous) top laner, Teemo, who is beloved for his adorable appearance but notorious for his annoying skill set.
How the crab species was discovered
Published in the open-access journal, Zoosystematics and Evolution, the discovery of a new crab species was made during an expedition to the coral reefs of the South China Sea. Marine biologists Zi-Ming Yuan, Wei Jiang, and Zhong-Li Sha identified this new species in the Paracel Islands and Spratly Islands.
Due to its distinct morphological and molecular characteristics, the crab was classified under a new genus, Gothus.
Several specimens of the Teemo crab were carefully photographed and collected during scuba diving missions and are now housed at the Marine Biological Museum in Qingdao.
Gothus Teemo: From a board game and a League of Legends champion
Gothus Teemo draws inspiration from both a classic board game and a League of Legends champion. The genus name "Gothus" is derived from the ancient Chinese strategy game, Go, reflecting the interwoven black and white patterns on the crab's carapace, similar to the game's pieces.
In addition, the crab’s name is a tribute to the well-known League of Legends champion, Teemo. Belonging to the Xanthidae family, this small crab is "densely covered with short setae" and showcases a brown-striped pattern, reminiscent of Teemo’s fluffy, brown, and white look.
Teemo is beloved for his adorable appearance, which has led to the creation of numerous plushies, hats, and figurines. However, he is infamous in game for his irritating abilities, like poisoning opponents and placing Shroom traps that slow and damage those who trigger them.
Fortunately, Gothus Teemo shares no traits with the League champion beyond its appearance.
Although this deep-sea Teemo isn't laying hidden mushrooms, the crab's likeness to the beloved champion has delighted scientists enough to name the tiny crab after the Bandle Scout.
On top of that, just as Teemo was among the initial Yordles introduced to League, this newly discovered crab represents the first of its genus—a group of species with a recent common ancestor—essentially marking the creation of a new family.
This marks the first time an animal has been named after a League character, though not the first time a video game has inspired a scientific name.
Scientists have named animals after The Legend of Zelda, Street Fighter, Pokémon characters, and even after extinct games like Crash Bandicoot.
Most recently, a newly discovered spider was named after Khezu, one of the most popular monsters in Monster Hunter, as first reported by VG247.
And with the millennial generation growing up and more geeks starting to join the upper ranks of scientists, we can expect more video game references for newly discovered species.