It may not be his most iconic or memorable role, but here in the horror world, we know and love Jeff Daniels for his work in 1990 movie Arachnophobia, wherein he played Dr. Ross Jennings. When a new species of spider invades the small town he’s just moved his family to, it’s up to Dr. Jennings to save the day, becoming an expert tarantula killer by the film’s climax.
Another seasoned tarantula killer? That’d be a rare new species of worm that’s just been discovered by scientists at the University of California, Riverside, and it has fittingly been given a name that pays tribute to Arachnophobia. Its name? “Tarantobelus jeffdanielsi“!
Daniels said in a statement shared by Variety, “When I first heard a new species of nematode had been named after me, I thought, ‘Why? Is there a resemblance?’ Honestly, I was honored by their homage to me and Arachnophobia. Made me smile. And of course, in Hollywood, you haven’t really made it until you’ve been recognized by those in the field of parasitology.”
While Jeff Daniels killed the big bad in Arachnophobia with a little help from a nail gun, the worm that’s been named after the character is a bit less theatrical in its nasty methods.
Varity explains, “An infection by jeffdanielsi causes the appendages that control the tarantula’s fangs to stop working — and eventually the spiders die of starvation.”
Now there’s a horror movie waiting to happen…
