Scientists have discovered the original "Lizard King," an ancient reptile that weighed 60 pounds and was six feet long, and named him after the iconic Doors' front man Jim Morrison, Discovery News reported.
Barbaturex morrisoni is the lizard's scientific name and it's believed to have been the most imposing and intimidating lizard on land about 40 million years ago, project leader Jason Head said.
"I was listening to The Doors quite a bit during the research," Head, of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln said in a press release. "Some of their musical imagery includes reptiles and ancient places, and Jim Morrison was of course 'The Lizard King,' so it all kind of came together."
Morrison was known as "the Lizard King" for two main reasons. First, for his poem titled "The Celebration of the Lizard," where he declares "I am the Lizard King, I can do anything." Second, for the way he slithered around the stage in tight, shiny clothing. As Head stated, Morrison had an affinity for reptiles in his lyrical imagery.
"Morrisoni" clearly comes directly from the late rock star's last name, but the lizard's first name "Barbaturex" comes from the Latin word "barbatus," meaning "beard" or "king." The ancient reptile shares the modern-day bearded dragon's defining characteristic: beard-like ridges on the bottom of the reptile's lower jaw.
"I thought, 'that's neat. Based on its teeth, it's a plant-eating lizard from a time period and a place from which we don't have a lot of information,'" Head said. "But when I started studying its modern relatives, I realized just how big this lizard was."
Head soon realized he was dealing with a one-of-kind reptile, like the influential lead singer.
"It struck me that we had something here that was quite large, and quite unique."
