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New beetle discovered at Montana State University named after Robert Redford and Liver-Eater Jeremiah Johnson

A tough little beetle that had Montana State University entomologists crawling on steep rocks above an Idaho hot spring is a new species named after actor and director Robert Redford.

After news articles appeared in Idaho this fall, MSU scientist Michael Ivie, former MSU graduate student Crystal Maier and University of Idaho entomologist James B. (Ding) Johnson explained how they discovered the beetle and why they called it Hydroscapha redfordi.

The first part of the name indicates what the beetle is related to, and that it is aquatic. The three scientists captured almost 500 of the "teeny, tiny" beetles in 2007 above the Jerry Johnson Hot Springs in northern Idaho. The second part of the name honors Redford.

Maier said the trio originally believed that the Jerry Johnson Hot Springs got its name from mountain man Liver-Eating Johnson, who Redford played in the 1972 movie, "Jeremiah Johnson." http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068762/ Although the connection later proved false, Ivie had watched the movie as a high school student and said the story and setting inspired him to move to and work in the Rockies. The entomologists also wanted to honor Redford for his efforts on behalf of the environment.

Full Story: http://www.montana.edu/cpa/news/nwview.php?article=10665

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