| Aptostichus stephencolberti | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Male specimen (holotype) | |
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| Female specimen | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Chelicerata |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Infraorder: | Mygalomorphae |
| Family: | Euctenizidae |
| Genus: | Aptostichus |
| Species: | A. stephencolberti |
| Binomial name | |
| Aptostichus stephencolberti Bond & Stockman 2008[1] | |
Aptostichus stephencolberti is a species ofspider in the familyEuctenizidae, named after theAmericansatiristStephen Colbert.[2] The spider was discovered on theCalifornia coastline in 2007.[3]
Aptostichus stephencolberti is found on coastal dunes that extend from theBig Sur area to theSan Francisco Peninsula atPoint Lobos andGolden Gate. Compared to closely related species such asAptostichus angelinajolieae (named afterAngelina Jolie),Aptostichus stephencolberti is lighter in color. The male holotype and the female paratype both have brownish yellow legs,carapace andchelicerae, while theabdomen is lighter with dusky stripes. The male has six teeth, while the female has five.[1]
The spider was named after Colbert after he reported on his television seriesThe Colbert Report thatJason Bond, a professor of biology atEast Carolina University, named a different species of spiderMyrmekiaphila neilyoungi, after theCanadian rock starNeil Young. Colbert was angered by the fact that Bond had not named a spider after him, and began to appeal for a species of animal to be named after him. He claimed that he already had an eagle and a turtle named after him (although nottaxonomically), so there was no reason that another animal could not be named after him as well.[4]
On a later edition ofThe Colbert Report, Colbert revealed that Bond would name a spider after him, with Colbert claiming, "And all I had to do was shamelessly beg on national television."[5] The two men talked on the phone to decide which spider should be named after Colbert, but as there were 27 different species of spider available, Bond was left to make the final choice.[6]
The nameAptostichus stephencolberti was officially announced as the spider named after Colbert onThe Colbert Report on August 6, 2008.[5][7] Because Colbert pronounces his surname with a silent "T", the last "T" instephencolberti is also silent.[8]
