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Facts on Scientific Names of Organisms

Posted by michael on from the geek-out dept.

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."

19 of 113 comments (clear)

  1. I just discovered a new one!~ by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Firstus Postus

  2. Decapitans by Baldrson · · Score: 5, Interesting
    From chapter 4, "Arms Races and Manipulation" of "The Extended Phenotype" by Richard Dawkins:
    "Several species of ant have no workers of their own. The queens invade nests of other species, dispose of the host queen, and use the host workers to bring up their own reproductive young. The method of disposing of the queen varies. In some species, such as the descriptively named Bothriomyrmex regicidus and B. decapitans, the parasite queen rides about on the back of the host queen and then, in Wilson's (1971) delightful description, 'begins the one act for which she is uniquely specialized: slowly cutting off the head of her victim' (p. 363)."
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    Seastead this.
  3. Scientists and Subproverbial Proverbs by mfh · · Score: 5, Interesting
    My favs:

    1. Ba Humbugi (endodontoid snail) from Mba island, Fiji.
    2. Eubetia Bigaulae (tortricid moth, pronounced You betcha, by golly)
    3. Pieza Kake, Pieza Pi, Pieza Rhea (mythicomyiid fly)
    4. Strategus Longichomperus (Honduran scarab with elongated mandibles)
    5. Ytu Brutus (water beetle)
    6. Andromeda L., 1753 (wild rosemary) or Andromeda Gistel, 1834 (bupestrid beetle), and then there's Andromeda roddenberrus
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  4. Molusc genus by ralmeida · · Score: 3, Funny

    My favourite one is on the site:

    Piseinotecus divae Er. Marcus, 1955 (gastropod) "Piseinotecus" means "I stepped on Teco." ( in portuguese) Teco was a dog belonging to a diva. One of the Marcuses (Evelyne or Ernst) stepped on the dog on the way to the kitchen in the middle of the night.
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  5. Re:Heres one by daniil · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Shouldn't Nerdilius be the genus and Slashdotius the species, not the other way around?

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    Man is a slave because freedom is difficult, whereas slavery is easy.
  6. Bill Gates' bug -- did you know ? by dapyx · · Score: 4, Interesting
    A bug (a real one - actually a Flower Fly) was named after Bill Gates. (named "Eristalis gatesi")

    See: http://www.sel.barc.usda.gov/diptera/syrphid/gates .htm

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  7. Re:The Gary Larson Bug by Class+Act+Dynamo · · Score: 5, Interesting

    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.

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  8. Kinda reminds me of... by MadFarmAnimalz · · Score: 5, Interesting

    this

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    Blearf. Blearf, I say.
  9. Sometimes the name is very appropriate by SIGBUS · · Score: 3, Informative

    As with the common stinkhorn, a mushroom that is known scientifically as Phallus impudicus .

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  10. How about diseases? by InternationalCow · · Score: 4, Interesting

    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.

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    ----- One learns to itch where one can scratch.
  11. I fail to see how this is news by daniil · · Score: 3, Interesting

    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

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    Man is a slave because freedom is difficult, whereas slavery is easy.
    1. Re:I fail to see how this is news by the+idoru · · Score: 3, Interesting

      On a similar vein is Vampyroteuthis infernalis, the "vampire squid form hell." Named such because of its red body and black, capelike tentacles. Add to that large, creepy eyes and the fact that it lives in very deep water and is thus rarely seen, and it's a creature ripe for superstition.

  12. Dinosaurs of rock by d0n+quix0te · · Score: 4, Interesting

    My favorite Masiakasaurus knopfleri. Named after Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits.

  13. Cigaretticus Brandus Idioticus by DoraLives · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Interesting species.

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  14. Mineral/rock naming is pretty fun too by qdaku · · Score: 4, Funny

    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.

    1. Re:Mineral/rock naming is pretty fun too by Incadenza · · Score: 3, Informative

      It was first found in Cummington, USA.

      For more funny minerals/molecules names (Arsole, Nonanone, Spamol), there's this silly page. Has a picture of Cummingtonite as well.

  15. Why? by Prince+Vegeta+SSJ4 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Is it blue and randomly crash into things?

  16. Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy naming reference by sidetrack · · Score: 4, Informative

    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.

    http://www.fishbase.org/Summary/SpeciesSummary.cfm ?id=56407

  17. Nessiteras rhombopteryx by alanw · · Score: 4, Interesting
    Nessiteras rhombopteryx (Loch Ness monster) This proposed name is not a valid scientific name because there is no type specimen to go with it.
    It is interesting to note that this is an anagram of "Monster Hoax by Sir Peter S". The name was proposed by Sir Peter Scott