
''Xenokeryx'' ("strange horn" in Greek) is an
extinct
Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...
genus of
ruminant known from the
Miocene of Europe. The type species, ''Xenokeryx amidalae'', was recovered from central Spain and bears a unique T-shaped protrusion from the top of the head. The specific epithet ''amidalae'' is in reference to the character
Padmé Amidala from the ''
Star Wars
''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera multimedia franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop-culture Cultural impact of S ...
'' films "due to the striking resemblance that the occipital appendage of ''Xenokeryx'' bears to one of the hairstyles that the aforementioned character shows in ''
The Phantom Menace'' feature film."
References
External links
Palaeomerycidae
Miocene Artiodactyla
Prehistoric Artiodactyla genera
Miocene mammals of Europe
Fossil taxa described in 2015
Star Wars
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