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Palaeontologists in Colombia have named a newly discovered species of ancient tu
Palaeontologists in Colombia have named a newly discovered species of ancient turtle after the pop star Shakira, giving it the formal scientific name Shakiremys colombiana. Found in the Tatacoa Desert, the fossil dates to roughly 13 million years ago and belongs to a genus previously unknown to science. Researchers from the Universidad del Rosario and a local natural history museum described the animal as an evolutionary mosaic — blending skeletal features from both older and newer lineages — suggesting it could add to understanding of how South American freshwater turtles diversified during the Miocene period. The team said the name was a tribute to Shakira's work promoting education in Colombia, and noted they had played her music throughout their desert fieldwork. If scientists offered to name a newly discovered species after someone of your choosing, who would it be — and why?