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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."

5 of 113 comments (clear)

  1. 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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  2. 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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  3. 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.
  4. 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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  5. Kinda reminds me of... by MadFarmAnimalz · · Score: 5, Interesting

    this

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