Scientists Name New Lizard Species After House of the Dragon’s Syrax
Researchers have named a newly discovered species of lizard after Syrax, the dragon ridden by Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen in the HBO series House of the Dragon.
Discover Magazine reports that eight, small mountain horned dragons were discovered at an elevation of 4,396 feet in Mae Wong National Park in western Thailand. This new species of lizard has been classified as Acanthosaura syrax, or as Syrax mountain horned dragon in English.
“Members of Acanthosaura carry a ridge of enlarged scales from the nape down the spine, earning them the name mountain horned dragons,” according to Discover (via ZooKeys).
“No known member of the genus has shorter spines along its nape and back than A. syrax. A diamond-shaped marking crosses its neck, while the area around its eyes remains free of the dark coloring found in several relatives.”
The species was named after Syrax because like that fictional dragon, the Syrax mountain horned dragon is relatively small and yellowish in color.
Researchers have so far only found A. syrax above 4,265 feet in Mae Wong National Park, although the broader Acanthosaura genus of lizards live across Southeast Asia.
Naming species after fictional characters is nothing new. A species of spider has been named after Tom Hardy’s Venom, there’s a beetle named after Chewbacca, a giant prehistoric turtle named after a universe-vomiting character in Stephen King’s The Dark Tower, a dinosaur named after Ghostbusters villain Zuul, and a species of snake named after Harry Potter wizard Salazar Slytherin.
Scientists have named a few discoveries after Pokémon characters, including a “deceptively cute” ancient whale and three species of beetles named after birds. There’s even a type of snake named after the very real Harrison Ford.
HBO recently aired the House of the Dragon: Season 3 finale, which IGN critic Helen O’Hara awarded a score of 9/10, deeming it a gripping conclusion to “the Westeros prequel’s best season yet.”
By the end of the House of the Dragon Season 3 finale, Rhaenyra has fully gone over to the Dark Side. Featuring some major deaths and a whole lot of devastation, the Season 3 finale leaves fans with a lot to think about over the next few years before the show returns for its fourth and final season.
For more coverage on all things Westeros, find out the 9 things we learned in the new stage play Game of Thrones: The Mad King and discover which character showrunner Ryan Condal thinks is worthy to sit upon the Iron Throne.