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Facts on Scientific Names of Organisms
Ant writes "From my ant message board thread (trying to pick names related to ants for World of Warcraft), Myrmecos mentioned Curiosities of Biological Nomenclature that lists scientific names of organisms are not usually known for their entertainment value. They are indispensable for clarity in communication, but most people skip over them with barely a glance. Mark Isaak, the author, collected those names that are worth a second look. Some names are interesting for what they are named after (for example, Arthurdactylus conandoylensis, Godzillius), some are puns (La cucaracha, Phthiria relativitae), and some show other kinds of wordplay (such as the palindromic Orizabus subaziro). Some have achieved notability through accident of history, and many show the sense of humor of taxonomists."
Firstus Postus
Seastead this.
The dangers of knowledge trigger emotional distress in human beings.
My favourite one is on the site:
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Shouldn't Nerdilius be the genus and Slashdotius the species, not the other way around?
Man is a slave because freedom is difficult, whereas slavery is easy.
See: http://www.sel.barc.usda.gov/diptera/syrphid/gates .htm
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There is a reason one should preview his or her posts. Here is what I meant to post:
"Far Side" cartoonist Gary Larson had a bug named after him when one of his fans discovered it. It is a species of louse called Strigiphilus garylarsoni. I miss Larson's cartoons, as well as Bill Waterson's since I am being nostalgic.
My other computer is a Jacquard loom.
this
Blearf. Blearf, I say.
As with the common stinkhorn, a mushroom that is known scientifically as Phallus impudicus .
Oh, no! You have walked into the slavering fangs of a lurking grue!
Delightful post! The /. crowd that is interested in taxonomy might also be interested to know that some diseases have rather funny names as well. For instance, there is an annoying itching skin disease called "lichen planus", meaning flat moss. It can also be lichen ruber - red moss. A particular congenital disorder is known as CATCH22. Moebius is also the name of a syndrome. Or, perhaps better known, "syphilis" which means fond of pigs (because people felt that affected patients had behaved like pigs?). For more fun medical terms, see for instance here and, completely off topic but funny nonetheless, here for mistakes made with medical terms.
----- One learns to itch where one can scratch.
Its really cool.
My personal favourite is commingtonite... A perfect example how even strict naming conventions can lead to funny results...
HI O WISE PRINCE. WHT TOOK U SO DAM LONG?
Leaving that aside, one of the things i've found curious is how none of the three known species of vampire bats are called vampyrus or Vampyrum. Of those that are, none feed on blood. It's quite funny how far superstition can sometimes go :7
Man is a slave because freedom is difficult, whereas slavery is easy.
My favorite Masiakasaurus knopfleri. Named after Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits.
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson got his pseudonym from his latin name. Charles Lutwidge = Carolus Lewis = Lewis Carol.
Interesting species.
Is it fascism yet?
I do geological engineering so I am forced to learn all sorts of terrible rock and mineral names. The rock names are much better.. they usually adhere to a couple of "accepted" standards (e.g. the igneous rock triangle). There is no standard for mineral naming, whoever found it can name it, or its just been something carried over through the years. No sense at all. The funny one I know is buried in the amphiboles (garbage rock, lots of substituition going on) theres a particulary amphibole called "Cummingtonite". Who knows what was going on when that one was named.. but I wouldn't want to touch the doorknobs.
Two nitpicks. The species name is always the entire binomial, not just the second word. The second word is referred to as the specific epithet. Also the specific epithet is always lowercase. Come on people, we are nerds. We know case matters.
Mathematics is made of 50 percent formulas, 50 percent proofs, and 50 percent imagination.
Is it blue and randomly crash into things?
There is a fish - found in New Zealands' Fjordland (Milford Sound, and surrounding Fjords), which has been given the name "Fiordichthys slartibartfasti" - after Slartibartfast - the award-winning Fjord designer in Douglas Adams' Hitchhiker books.
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http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cf
Even as an anonymous coward, I wouldn't insult someone who collects disease names for amusement. The image of an overeducated effeminate yuppie was quickly replaced in my mind as a Hannibal Lector type cooking fava beans. Yes Clarissse... I just found a new friend on Slashdot who shares my interest in viruses, No damnit not Virii, VIRUSES
Although it is not a scientific name, my favorite is Venus's flytrap -- named for its resemblance to a certain part of the female anatomy that most of us here haven't seen yet.
Don't waste your vote! Vote for whoever you want, unless you live in a swing state it won't matter anyways
Of course, my favorite is Homo sapiens.