An unknown species of lizard has been discovered in a Peruvian jungle reserve and named in honor of Bruce Dickinson, singer of British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, the National Service of Protected Natural Areas (Sernanp) said on Friday.
The specimen, Enyalioides dickinsoni, the reptile's scientific name, was discovered at the same time as another new species, Enyalioides cyanocephalus, in the humid forests of the Cordillera de Colan in the Amazon region of northeastern Peru.
“The species is named after Paul Bruce Dickinson, the singer of the legendary heavy metal band Iron Maiden,” Sernanp said, without specifying whether the scientists behind the discovery included fans of metal music.
Bruce Dickinson, 65, is the singer of the group, founded in London in 1975, which is considered one of the most important and representative of the genre. Iron Maiden has legions of fans around the world, especially in Peru, where it has already performed.
Enyalioides dickinsoni is characterized by its orange head, green body and short legs.
The two species were recently discovered in a study conducted by American experts from the Rainforest Partnership, the Peruvian Institute of Herpetology and the Zoological Museum of the School of Biological Sciences of the Catholic University of Ecuador.
The Cordillera de Colan National Protected Area in the Amazonas department covers an area of 39,215 hectares and is home to 470 species of birds and about 70 species of mammals.