''Roddenberryus'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

araneomorph The Araneomorphae (also called the Labidognatha or "true spiders") are an infraorder of spiders. They are distinguishable by chelicerae (fangs) that point diagonally forward and cross in a pinching action, in contrast to the Mygalomorphae (taran ...

spiders in the family

Caponiidae Caponiidae is a family of ecribellate haplogyne spiders that are unusual in a number of ways. They differ from other spiders in lacking book lungs and having the posterior median spinnerets anteriorly displaced to form a transverse row with th ...

, first described by Alexander Sánchez-Ruiz & Alexandre B. Bonaldo in 2023. The genus was named after

Gene Roddenberry Eugene Wesley Roddenberry Sr. (August 19, 1921 – October 24, 1991) was an American television screenwriter and producer who created the science fiction series and fictional universe ''Star Trek.'' Born in El Paso, Texas, Roddenberry grew up ...

, creator of the "

Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the Star Trek: The Original Series, series of the same name and became a worldwide Popular culture, pop-culture Cultural influence of ...

" franchise, "that inspired generations of kids to pursue scientific careers". Three newly discovered species were named after characters from " Star Trek: The Original Series", created by Roddenberry: ''Roddenberryus kirk'' (named after

James T. Kirk James Tiberius Kirk, often known as Captain Kirk, is a fictional character in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. Originally played by Canadian actor William Shatner, Kirk first appeared in ''Star Trek'' serving aboard the starship USS ''Enter ...

); ''R. mccoy'' (named after

Leonard McCoy Dr. Leonard H. McCoy, known as "Bones", is a character in the American science-fiction franchise ''Star Trek''. McCoy was played by actor DeForest Kelley in the original ''Star Trek'' series from 1966 to 1969, and he also appears in the anima ...

); and ''R. spock'' (named after

Spock Spock is a fictional Character (arts), character in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise. He first appeared in the Star Trek: The Original Series, original ''Star Trek'' series serving aboard the starship USS Enterprise (NCC-1701), USS ''Enterpri ...

Species

it contains five species: *''

Roddenberryus kirk ''Roddenberryus'' is a genus of Araneomorphae, araneomorph spiders in the family Caponiidae, first described by Alexander Sánchez-Ruiz & Alexandre B. Bonaldo in 2023. The genus was named after Gene Roddenberry, creator of the "Star Trek" franc ...

'' Sánchez-Ruiz - Bonaldo, 2023 – Costa Rica *'' Roddenberryus mccoy'' Sánchez-Ruiz - Bonaldo, 2023 – Mexico *'' Roddenberryus pelegrina'' Bryant, 1940 – Cuba *'' Roddenberryus sargi'' F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1899 – Guatemala, Costa Rica *'' Roddenberryus spock'' Sánchez-Ruiz - Bonaldo, 2023 – Mexico

References

Caponiidae genera Spiders of Central America Spiders of South America Spiders described in 2023 Caponiidae {{Caponiidae-stub