The turtle's size inspired the etymology, Ferreira said. As researchers were casting around for a name, one of them, Miriam Pacheco, a big fan of King's novels, suggested Maturin.

Researchers have named a newly discovered species of giant prehistoric turtle after a universe-creating character that features in Stephen King's novel It, alongside the Dark Tower series of books.

A newly discovered species of extinct, fossilized freshwater turtle discovered in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil was named for Maturin, a character from the works of novelist Stephen King.