Gaga (gaga lipfern) is a genus of 19 species of ferns in the family Pteridaceae named after American singer and songwriter Lady Gaga. Two of the 19 species are newly-described: Gaga germanotta from Costa Rica, named after the family of the singer (she was born Stefani Germanotta), and Gaga monstraparva, in honor of Gaga's fans, whom she calls "little monsters". According to biologists, the ferns bear a close resemblance to Gaga's costume from the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards and also bear a distinct DNA sequence spelling GAGA.
Except for the two new species, the rest of the Gaga ferns were reclassified, having previously been assigned to the genus Cheilanthes, based on their outward appearance. Biologists at Duke University explained that they listed the ferns with the name Gaga, due to the singer's active support of equality and individual expression. The decision received widespread attention from the science community and the media.
Pryer published her findings in the then-current issue of Systematic Botany, the quarterly publication of the American Society of Plant Taxonomists, after a five-year study of the ferns.[2] The 17 species were re-classified once Li was able to confirm by DNA sequencing of around 80 samples, that they were distinct in appearance and would be better categorized under a new genus. Pryer used new scientific tools for reorganization of the fern family tree. She also explained that the biology of the Gaga ferns are "exceptionally obscure" and unattainable due to the sexual crossing between the species. This was attained by their high content of chromosomes and asexuality, which resulted in the child ferns being genetically identical to the parent ones, and thus indiscernible.[3]
The genus is described as the early offshoot of hemionitid ferns, and is most closely related to genus Aspidotis.[4] Following the characteristics of most ferns, the Gaga group is homosporous in nature, and produce minute spherical spores that travel and fall down on the ground. They later germinate into heart-shaped gametophytes. The thesis on the species explained that "These independent little organisms can be female, male or even bisexual, depending on growth conditions and what other kinds of gametophytes are around. When conditions are right, they exchange sperm between gametophytes, but when necessary they sometimes can also self-fertilize to produce a new fern."[3]
"We study, in particular, a group of ferns called the cheilanthoid ferns, there are about 500 or 600 of them, and many of them tend to be more adapted to living in desert situations, which is unusual for ferns... We've been doing a lot of molecular sequencing, looking at a lot of plant material, doing a lot of field work, so we're now at the point where we're concluding some of the work, and we have enough evidence to be able to look at all the data and say, 'Hmmm, there's this group here that is really in the wrong genus... We need to give it a new name'."
—Kathleen Pryer talking to MTV about her research.[2]
In September 2012, scientists at Chulalongkorn University had given Lady Gaga's name to a species of newly identified parasitic wasp, Aleiodes gaga.[5] A month later, researchers at Duke University in North Carolina discovered two new species of fern in Central and South America, Mexico, Arizona, and Texas.[6] They were named Gaga germanotta, after the singer's family—she was born Stefani Germanotta—and Gaga monstraparva, after a name for Gaga's fans, known as "little monsters". The ferns were discovered in Costa Rica and Mexico primarily. Another 17 species of ferns had been assigned to the genus Cheilanthes, but were reclassified under Gaga, making a total of 19 species in the genus.[3][4]
According to Kathleen Pryer, president of the American Fern Society, American Society of Plant Taxonomists and study leader of the research group, they often "listen[ed] to [Gaga's] music while we do our research... We think that her second album, Born This Way (2011), is enormously empowering, especially for disenfranchised people and communities like LGBT, ethnic groups, women—and scientists who study odd ferns!" As the team started considering a name for the ferns, they noticed that one of them had the base pair sequence "G–A–G–A" (guanine, adenine, guanine, adenine)[7] in its DNA. This was noticed by one of the graduate students, Fay-Wei Li, who had scanned the base pairs and found the sequence.[3] The ferns had the ability to self-fertilize and had "fluid definitions of gender". This gave the scientists concrete reason for naming the species as Gaga.[6]
The second inspiration came from Gaga's performance of "Poker Face" at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards in 2010. While singing, she had worn an Armani Prive' costume, which was shaped like a heart. It was accompanied by huge shoulder pads, which gave it an appearance of the bisexual reproductive stage of the ferns, called a gametophyte. The dress also had the characteristic color of light green. Pryer noticed that the new leaves of the ferns were shaped like the characteristic "paws up" salute displayed by Gaga to her fans.[3]
As of January 2020, the Checklist of Ferns and Lycophytes of the World recognized the following species:[8]
The species are found from Arizona and Texas in the United States south through Central America and into South America as far as southern Bolivia. The greatest diversity is in Mexico, where 17 of the 19 species occur, and 6 are endemic.[4]
The naming of the fern after the singer received widespread attention from the science community and the media. Duke University scholar and professor Cathy Davidson, who had been previously associated with the inception of Gaga's Born This Way Foundation, said that it was a "remarkable, unexpected, perfect tribute to name a genus of ferns for Lady Gaga".[3] Amy Briggs from National Geographic added that along with her "dance tunes and memorable meaty fashion choices, [Gaga] has another claim to fame: botany."[9] Sean Michaels from The Guardian remarked that "by honoring Gaga in this way, the academics have doubtless paved the way for a series of fern-based costumes".[6] David Itzkoff from The New York Times declared about the naming, "scientists may seem like a pretty poker-faced bunch, but the botanists at Duke University, at least, have a sense of humor about their work and some pop-culture savvy to go with it".[10] James Montgomery from MTV News noted that Gaga is characterized as a "global superstar, fashion icon, entrepreneur and role model to millions, yet despite all that, her impact on the world of pteridophytes has been minimal at best — until now, that is [with the naming]."[2] Colin Schultz from Smithsonian felt that since scientists are also normal people with interests, hobbies, and musical inclinations, "so, sometimes, when a new species of plant or animal is discovered, it gets named after something cool."[11] Gaga herself responded positively to the naming, saying that "since it's an asexual fern, there are 19 species contained within the genus. All sexless, judgeless. How I wish to be."[12]
Gaga (gaga lipfern) is a genus of 19 species of ferns in the family Pteridaceae named after American singer and songwriter Lady Gaga. Two of the 19 species are newly-described: Gaga germanotta from Costa Rica, named after the family of the singer (she was born Stefani Germanotta), and Gaga monstraparva, in honor of Gaga's fans, whom she calls "little monsters". According to biologists, the ferns bear a close resemblance to Gaga's costume from the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards and also bear a distinct DNA sequence spelling GAGA.
Except for the two new species, the rest of the Gaga ferns were reclassified, having previously been assigned to the genus Cheilanthes, based on their outward appearance. Biologists at Duke University explained that they listed the ferns with the name Gaga, due to the singer's active support of equality and individual expression. The decision received widespread attention from the science community and the media.
Gaga est un genre de fougères américaines, de la famille des Pteridaceae.
Le genre Gaga, proche du genre Cheilanthes dont il se distingue par la phylogénie[1], a été nommé en hommage à la chanteuse Lady Gaga[2].
Il compte 19 espèces, parmi lesquelles Gaga germanotta, nommée en hommage à la famille de la chanteuse (née Stefani Germanotta).
Le genre Gaga est présent en Amérique Centrale, Amérique du Sud, au Mexique et dans le Sud des États-Unis (Arizona et Texas).
Selon Catalogue of Life (16 mars 2013)[3] :
Selon ITIS (16 mars 2013)[4] :
Selon NCBI (16 mars 2013)[5] :
Selon Tropicos (16 mars 2013)[6] (Attention liste brute contenant possiblement des synonymes) :
Gaga est un genre de fougères américaines, de la famille des Pteridaceae.
Gaga est genus pteridophytorum ex Domina Gaga, cantrice et compositore carminum Americana, appellatum. Generi sunt undeviginti species, quarum duae anno 2012 erant novae: Gaga germanotta, in Ora Opulenta endemica (Domina Gaga Stefani Germanotta nata), et Gaga monstraparva, in Mexico endemica (ex eius fanaticis, parvis monstris vel fortasse melius monstrulis appellatis). Ante classificationem novam editam, septendecim species reliquae in genus Cheilantham digestae erant.[2]
Vide "Gagam" apud Vicispecies. 
Situs scientifici: Tropicos • GRIN • ITIS • NCBI • Biodiversity • Encyclopedia of Life • Plant Name Index • USDA Plants Database Gaga est genus pteridophytorum ex Domina Gaga, cantrice et compositore carminum Americana, appellatum. Generi sunt undeviginti species, quarum duae anno 2012 erant novae: Gaga germanotta, in Ora Opulenta endemica (Domina Gaga Stefani Germanotta nata), et Gaga monstraparva, in Mexico endemica (ex eius fanaticis, parvis monstris vel fortasse melius monstrulis appellatis). Ante classificationem novam editam, septendecim species reliquae in genus Cheilantham digestae erant.
Gaga is een geslacht met 19 soorten varens uit de lintvarenfamilie (Pteridaceae), waarvan de meeste zijn afgescheiden van het geslacht Cheilanthes.
Het zijn terrestrische varens met een verspreiding van de zuidwestelijke Verenigde Staten (Arizona en Texas) tot het zuiden van Bolivië, met het zwaartepunt in Mexico. Het geslacht is nauw verwant met het reeds eerder van Cheilanthes afgescheiden geslacht Aspidotis.
De botanische naam Gaga is een eerbetoon aan de Amerikaanse zangeres Stefani Germanotta, beter bekend als Lady Gaga.
Gaga-soorten zijn kleine terrestrische varens met korte, kruipende rizomen, bezet met lancetvormige, donkerbruine tot zwarte of tweekleurige schubben. De bladsteel is kastanjebruin tot zwart, meestal glad, met een enkele groef aan de bovenzijde. De bladschijf is ovaal tot vijfhoekig, twee- tot viervoudig geveerd, meestal onbehaard (dit in tegenstelling tot de meeste Cheilanthes-soorten). De bladslipjes zijn lijnvormig tot ovaal, de toppen afgerond of geleidelijk smaller wordend (in tegenstelling tot Aspidotis-soorten, waarvan de slipjes in een scherpe punt eindigen).
De sporenhoopjes staan in langs de rand van de blaadjes, gegroepeerd rond de uiteinden van de nerven, gedeeltelijk bedekt door sterk gedifferentieerde, gladde of behaarde pseudo-indusia. Er zijn geen echte dekvliesjes. De sporendoosjes of sporangia dragen 32 of 64 ronde, bruine of zwarte sporen.
Het nieuwe geslacht Gaga werd in 2012 beschreven door Pryer, Fay-Wei Li en Windham na een moleculaire studie van vier DNA-regionen (de matK- en rbcL- genen en de trnG-R-sequentie uit de plastiden en het gapCp-gen uit de celkern) en van kenmerken van de sporen van een reeks Cheilanthes-soorten[1].
Het geslacht telt in de huidige indeling 19 soorten, waarvan 17 zijn afgesplitst van Cheilanthes en 2 nieuw beschreven soorten, G. germanotta (waarbij germanotta nogmaals verwijst naar Lady Gaga), en G. monstraparva (of 'kleine monsters', de roepnaam voor Lady Gaga-fans).
Gaga is een geslacht met 19 soorten varens uit de lintvarenfamilie (Pteridaceae), waarvan de meeste zijn afgescheiden van het geslacht Cheilanthes.
Het zijn terrestrische varens met een verspreiding van de zuidwestelijke Verenigde Staten (Arizona en Texas) tot het zuiden van Bolivië, met het zwaartepunt in Mexico. Het geslacht is nauw verwant met het reeds eerder van Cheilanthes afgescheiden geslacht Aspidotis.
Gaga marginata
(Kunth) Fay W.Li & Windham[1]
Gaga, adını Amerikalı şarkıcı Lady Gaga'dan alan ve 19 türü bulunan eğrelti cinsi. İki yeni tür bulunmaktadır: Gaga germanotta, Kosta Rika'da bulunur ve Gaga'nın gerçek soyadı verilmiştir ve Gaga monstraparva, Meksika'da bulunur ve Gaga'nın 'little monsters' olarak bilinen hayranlarının adı verilmiştir. Kalan 17 tür daha önce Cheilanthes cinsine aitti.[2]
Gaga, adını Amerikalı şarkıcı Lady Gaga'dan alan ve 19 türü bulunan eğrelti cinsi. İki yeni tür bulunmaktadır: Gaga germanotta, Kosta Rika'da bulunur ve Gaga'nın gerçek soyadı verilmiştir ve Gaga monstraparva, Meksika'da bulunur ve Gaga'nın 'little monsters' olarak bilinen hayranlarının adı verilmiştir. Kalan 17 tür daha önce Cheilanthes cinsine aitti.
