Shakira wasp (Aleiodes shakirae)

The next funniest animal name came from a superstar. In 2014, Scott Shaw and Eduardo Shimbori, entomologists from the University of Wyoming, had the opportunity to name several newly identified species of insects. They had fun naming them after celebrities. 

They named a parasitoid wasp Aleiodes shakirae. The wasp infects caterpillars and causes their abdomen to twist and bend as it feeds. It reminded Shaw and Shimbori of belly dancing, for which Shakira is famous. Many other members of the genus Aleiodes have celebrity-inspired names, too.

Although killing caterpillars from the inside may sound terrible, Shakira wasps play an important role in keeping the population of plant-feeding caterpillars under