Scientists Name New Lizard Species After House of the Dragon’s Syrax
Scientists have named a newly discovered lizard species after Syrax, the iconic golden dragon ridden by Rhaenyra Targaryen in House of the Dragon.
Researchers have discovered a new species of lizard and named it after the dragon Syrax, ridden by Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen in the HBO series House of the Dragon. The small lizard, measuring only eight feet, was found in Mae Wong National Park in western Thailand at an elevation of 4,396 feet. This species, scientifically classified as Acanthosaura syrax, is distinguished by its distinctive diamond-shaped marking on its neck and its spines along the nape and back, which are longer than those of other members of its genus.
The researchers noted that A. syrax is yellowish in color, similar to the fictional dragon. This is not the first time that scientists have named a species after a fictional character; examples include a spider named after Tom Hardy's Venom, a beetle after Chewbacca, and a prehistoric turtle after a character in Stephen King's The Dark Tower.
The practice of naming species after fictional characters continues, demonstrating the intersection of science and popular culture.
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