Ancient Swamp Pig Named After Mick Jagger Because of ‘Big, Flappy Lips’

 

The name of Mick Jagger has officially been immortalized forever by science, and has been bestowed upon a newly-discovered species of ancient swamp pig.

The fossil of the 19 million-year-old Jaggermeryx naida was discovered by a team of paleontologists in Africa, and according to a press release, was a deer-sized “cross between a slender hippo and a long-legged pig.”

Those aren’t really words that would describe Mick Jagger, but when you hear how The Washington Post described the Jaggermeryx’s mouth, you’ll get it:

The fossil’s jaw, Wake Forest University paleoanthroplogist Ellen Miller said in a statement, had eight holes on either side. These probably held nerves, giving the creature a sensitive lip that it would use to forage for food. In other words, it had big, flappy lips that it used to snuffle all over the riverbank.

But did it have…hooves like Jagger?

Ba dum-tss.

Speaking of funny Jagger-related material, enjoy this:

[The Washington Post]
[Image via Northfoto / Shutterstock.com]

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