The rock world may have lost Motorhead icon Ian “Lemmy” Kilmister in 2015, but his legacy is carried on in a unique way thanks to some rock-savvy scientists in Scotland. The late singer has been used as the inspiration for naming an ancient crocodile from the Middle Jurassic Period.

Scientists from the University of Edinburgh have named the pre historic croc Lemmysuchus obtusidens, after the Motorhead front man. The 164 million year-old crocodile measured 19 feet long with a skull coming in at three feet in length. The specimen was dug up over 100 years ago but it was never properly categorized and had been included in the records with smaller crocodile breeds discovered and researched over the years.

According to the scientists that have named the ancient croc in Lemmy’s honor, they believe it lived a lifestyle the rocker would approve of.

“Although Lemmy passed away at the end of 2015,’ said Lorna Stell of the Natural History Museum of London, “we’d like to think that he would have raised a glass to Lemmysuchus, one of the nastiest sea creatures to have ever inhabited the Earth.”

I’m no expert, so I can’t say for sure if any other creatures have been named after rock musicians, but I am now genuinely curious if it is possible to put together a pre historic rock ensemble.

[Inverse]

About Kevin McGuire

Contributor to Athlon Sports and The Comeback. Previously contributed to NBCSports.com. Host of the Locked On Nittany Lions Podcast. FWAA member and Philadelphia-area resident.