Never underestimate your ability to touch people’s lives through your art.

Multiple Grammy-winning artist Taylor Swift found herself the recipient of an unusual accolade on Monday, as scientists from Virginia Tech in the United States announced the discovery of a new arthropod named in her honor.

Nannaria swiftae is one of 16 newly-described species of twisted-claw millipedes found in the US’ Appalachian Mountains. It typically measures between 18mm and 38mm long, and sports a shiny caramel-brown or blackish body and white legs. The males are known for having twisted and flattened claws on their front legs, hence their common name.

The discovery was published in the open-access journal ZooKeys on April 18. The decision to bestow the name N. swiftae was an act of personal gratitude for lead researcher Derek Hennen, a self-avowed Taylor Swift fan.

"Her music helped me get through the highs and lows of graduate school, so naming a new millipede species after her is my way of saying thanks," he said in a press release.

Twisted-claw millipedes typically live on the forest floor, near streams. They commonly burrow into the ground, making them difficult to catch and study.

However, they are an essential part of the local ecosystem: they help break down fallen leaves and other litter, thereby releasing nutrients back into the soil.

It is a common practice to name newly-discovered species in honor of distinguished people or celebrities. In 2018, for example, a Malaysian beetle was named Grouvellinus leonardodicaprioi in honor of actor Leonardo DiCaprio’s environmental activism.

And in 1996, a Philippine sea snail was named Bursina borisbeckeri in honor of German tennis player Boris Becker.