Dragon Ball Z’s main protagonist, Goku, has inspired the name of a newly discovered fish species. A clever nod to Goku’s Super Saiyan, the new fish species is named Vanderhorstia supersaiyan. Interestingly, Goku is a whimsical, monkey-tailed boy who is equipped with martial arts and is capable of superhuman strength. He is a member of the Saiyan race on Planet Vegeta.
New fish species gets its name from Dragon Ball Z’s Goku
Dragon Ball Z’s Goku’s celebrated form inspires the name of the new fish species Vanderhorstia supersaiyan. Goku was sent to Earth as an infant prior to the destruction of his home planet at the hands of Frieza, one of the main antagonists of the famed series.
In one of the most memorable moments from the anime, Goku goes Super Saiyan during his fight with Frieza. The golden aura exuded by Goku has inspired scientists and researchers to name the new fish species Super Saiyan (via Dexerto).
The fish’s iridescent yellow fin stripes reminded the researchers of the anime’s glowing power-up. This prompted them to give the new fish species an anime-inspired name. According to Ichthyological Research, researchers collected a single specimen near Ishigaki-jima Island in Okinawa at around 210 meters deep water.
According to the research findings, the new anime-inspired fish species is 77 millimeters long, boasting a beautiful color palette. The Vanderhorstia supersaiyan dons radiant yellow stripes along its second dorsal, anal, and caudal fins.
Not only that, the Goku-inspired fish sports slight yellow spots on its head and a string of diamond-shaped blotches down its body. Interestingly, Vanderhorstia supersaiyan is the only fish to showcase this blend of unique colors and designs, making it a standout species in the fish community.
Researchers discovered the Goku-inspired fish species in one of Japan’s least-explored marine regions, known as the Twilight Zone. The Vanderhorstia supersaiyan shines bright in low light and deep waters. This makes it easily recognizable and befitting of the Dragon Ball character Goku’s iconic form name.
This is not the first time a pop-culture character has inspired an animal, bird, or insect species’ name. Previously, Curtin University researcher, Kit Prendergast, discovered a new species of devil-horned bee and named it Lucifer after the popular Netflix show.
