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Idle: New Species Named For SpongeBob SquarePants

Posted by timothy on from the love-interest-might-not-appreciate-it dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Sing it with us: What lives in the rainforest, under a tree? Spongiforma squarepantsii, a new species of mushroom almost as strange as its cartoon namesake. Scientists from the San Francisco State University have discovered a new species of mushroom in Borneo with sponge-like properties. Its strange behavior convinced them to name it after the famous Bob. There is no word on whether or not their chances of getting future grant money will be improved by this choice." Did you know (prior to clicking on the Wikipedia link above) that SpongeBob was created by a marine biologist?

74 comments

  1. WTF by numb7rs · · Score: 0

    People in the next century are going to seriously question the sanity of this one if this sort of stuff continues.

    1. Re:WTF by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I think naming a mushroom after a cartoon is the LEAST of this century's worries.

    2. Re:WTF by Mindcontrolled · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Oh come on, let the guys just have some fun. If this leads you to question the sanity of the biologists involved, have a look at the gene naming schemata in Drosophila flies...

      Let me just point at cheap date, a gene that imposes heightened alcohol sensitive on the flies; or perhaps the ken and barbie genes, mutations in which cause lack of external genitalia. Then there is superman, a mutation that causes extra male genitalia in the plant Arabidopsis. Naturally, it is suppressed by the kryptonite gene. Leaving the genitalia business, there is also embargo in Drosophila, a mutation in which stops nuclear export...

      --
      Ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant.
    3. Re:WTF by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Then again so many things have been named after Greek and Roman mythology that no one bats an eyelid. It's about time they start using modern fictional names. I for one would have loved it if there was a dwarf planet called Xena with a moon called Gabrielle.

    4. Re:WTF by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Don't forget the Sonic hedgehog gene!

    5. Re:WTF by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It appears I went too fast and turned back time so I do not know of this Sonic fellow you speak of.
      What is he, some sort of Wrestler?

    6. Re:WTF by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Agreed. How could anyone write a lengthy article about a new mushroom without once mentioning what it tastes like?

    7. Re:WTF by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There almost was. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eris_(dwarf_planet)

    8. Re:WTF by ByOhTek · · Score: 1

      Or Smaug (can't remember what it does, but yes, it's named after the dragon), or MAD (Mothers Against Decapentapalegia, which, when mutated, produces limbless flies).

      --
      Self proclaimed typo king, and inventor of the bear destroying coffee table (patent not pending).
    9. Re:WTF by black+soap · · Score: 1

      And yet we take all the silly names made up in previous centuries as "well, that's just how they did things, and they needed a catchy name."

    10. Re:WTF by iamhassi · · Score: 1

      "Let me just point at cheap date, a gene that imposes heightened alcohol sensitive on the flies; or perhaps the ken and barbie genes, mutations in which cause lack of external genitalia. Then there is superman, a mutation that causes extra male genitalia in the plant Arabidopsis. Naturally, it is suppressed by the kryptonite gene. Leaving the genitalia business, there is also embargo in Drosophila, a mutation in which stops nuclear export..."

      I see nothing wrong with any of those since they all make complete sense. I for one welcome our new rational-naming-scheme overlords

      --
      my karma will be here long after I'm gone
    11. Re:WTF by iamhassi · · Score: 1

      I know you're AC, but I have to comment. Greek and Roman mythology has been around for thousands of years. Spongeboob came out in 1999. Seriously you're putting a cartoon that's barely 10 years old up against Greek and Roman mythology? Oh right, AC troll, gotcha.

      Also naming it after a children's cartoon shows the immaturity of the biologist. I didn't even know what Spongbob was until recently, when my wife, who was young enough to watch Spongebob growing up, introduced me to it. It's a good show but I wouldn't be naming mushrooms after it... unless I was on shrooms at the time and thought "DUDE! We should call it... SPONGEBOB!"

      --
      my karma will be here long after I'm gone
    12. Re:WTF by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      On the other hand, just about no one can tell one muse from another, but everyone recognizes Spongebob.

    13. Re:WTF by Mindcontrolled · · Score: 1

      Didn't say that I see anything wrong with those. Just some geneticists having some fun while still making sense - isn't that the best kind? Personally, I come from the NMR spectroscopy business, so don't let me get started on the HOHAHA, HEHAHA and HIHAHA pulse sequences...

      --
      Ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant.
    14. Re:WTF by Mindcontrolled · · Score: 1

      Smaug obviously is the supressor for nanos, the dwarf gene. (just for clarity, not made up - it's how it works, Smaugbinds the nanos mRNA).

      --
      Ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant.
    15. Re:WTF by ByOhTek · · Score: 1

      OK. They never actually explained it in my developmental genetics classes, the prof just said, "Yes, it is a reference to The Hobbit."

      --
      Self proclaimed typo king, and inventor of the bear destroying coffee table (patent not pending).
    16. Re:WTF by tehcyder · · Score: 1

      my wife, who was young enough to watch Spongebob growing up,

      Jesus tittyfucking Christ I feel old.

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
    17. Re:WTF by Mindcontrolled · · Score: 1

      Perhaps we should fix that by teaching people about the muses instead of going on about spongebob, though...

      --
      Ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant.
    18. Re:WTF by Mindcontrolled · · Score: 1

      How could anyone write a lengthy article about a new mushroom without once mentioning what it tastes like?

      If it is a proper shroom, it'll taste purple with a slight whiff of G-minor, of course.

      --
      Ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant.
    19. Re:WTF by kryliss · · Score: 1

      Ditto!

      --
      --- If the bible proves the existence of God, then Superman comics prove the existence of Superman.
  2. Re:What won't scientists do for attention? by numb7rs · · Score: 3, Insightful

    No, I can see why they chose that. SpongeBob's a fun guy.

  3. yes, sir by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I did actually know that it was created by a marine biologist... I believe Nickelodeon (sp?) did some kind of special where he was talking about how the show came to be, in between him doing weird stuff on a boat. I was a kid not that long ago... or at least I choose to believe.

  4. Re:What won't scientists do for attention? by exomondo · · Score: 1

    /golfclap

  5. Fantastic! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    A new species of mushroom found in the rainforests. Let's burn it all down immediately to use as soil (like intelligent beings do)!

  6. classification by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Karl von Linne would be proud.

  7. Not trying hard enough by sqrt(2) · · Score: 1

    Come on, at least roughly translate it into Latin first.

    --
    If you build it, nerds will come. Soylentnews.org
    1. Re:Not trying hard enough by Mindcontrolled · · Score: 3, Informative

      Fine. Spongiforma bracae-quadratae then.

      --
      Ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant.
    2. Re:Not trying hard enough by Samantha+Wright · · Score: 1

      Lovely. Now, was that really so hard?

      --
      Bio questions? Ask me to start a Q&A journal. Computer analogies available for most topics!
    3. Re:Not trying hard enough by Mindcontrolled · · Score: 2

      Why yes, yes it was. Do you have any idea how rusty my latin is?

      --
      Ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant.
    4. Re:Not trying hard enough by Samantha+Wright · · Score: 1

      All that matters is that it's less rusty than theirs :\

      --
      Bio questions? Ask me to start a Q&A journal. Computer analogies available for most topics!
  8. Yes I did... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Did you know (prior to clicking on the Wikipedia link above) that SpongeBob was created by a marine biologist?

    Yes I did. Someone was nice enough to mention it in the summary, so I didn't even have to click the link.

  9. The grants, the grants, OH GOD THE GRANTS by Mindcontrolled · · Score: 0

    Thanks for implying the usual "they are only doing it for the grants"-meme in the summary, timothy. It's been soo popular with the science-haters around here lately, I can see why you would want to retain that group of customers.

    --
    Ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant.
  10. Even when... by Aeternitas827 · · Score: 1

    Even when I escape to the real world (the one that exists for a few hours when the children sleep and vulgar language is allowed), I can't escape mention of that little bastard whose only resemblance to a square is the fact that his faces (not the space where his annoying face-parts are, but rather the surface faces of the prism of his being) are quadrilaterals (rectangles, in fact).

    What. The. Fuck.

    --
    I don't post AC. I like my -1, Flamebaits. Trump/Sheen 2012 on the Batshit Insane ticket!
    1. Re:Even when... by mwvdlee · · Score: 1, Insightful

      What you call the "real" world is what I call the "stuck-up" world. In my "real" world, children do exist, vulgar language is allowed but people generally don't feel the need to use it all the time and spongebob is enjoyed by many even though he isn't quite as square as his last name would seem to (but actually doesn't) imply.
      Lighten up.

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    2. Re:Even when... by Dachannien · · Score: 1

      I think they probably mean "square" in the construction sense - that is, two things (such as Spongebob's edges) are considered square when they are orthogonal.

    3. Re:Even when... by zippthorne · · Score: 1

      I think they mean square metaphorically. As in, he's generally the responsible one in his chowda of friends.

      --
      Can you be Even More Awesome?!
    4. Re:Even when... by geekoid · · Score: 1

      And yet you post here.

      Talk about your passive aggressive attention seeker.

      Personally I like Spongbob, and it has sparked some great conversations with my children.
      Also, his name does not denote his shape. His name is not SquareSponge.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  11. Patrickus Staroidea by HideyoshiJP · · Score: 1

    No! My name is Patrick! I am not a Krusty Krab...

  12. too bad by The+Clockwork+Troll · · Score: 2

    Linnaeus must be spinning in his grave just fast enough to clear the shark.

    --

    There are no karma whores, only moderation johns
  13. Re:Rather that than latin by Mindcontrolled · · Score: 1

    Now what's wrong with latin? (ignoring the fact that squarepantsii is standard latinizing anyway). Personally, I feel it is a shame that today's scientists, including me, are not fluid in latin any more. I used to be, but lost all of it over the last one and a half decades.

    --
    Ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant.
  14. Why stop there? by Windwraith · · Score: 1

    We can start naming everything we discover after pop culture! EVERYTHING! We can even rename existing things after it.
    Years in the future science symposiums will sound like a conversation between 7-year-old kids in the schoolyard.
    I see absolutely nothing wrong with this picture.

    1. Re:Why stop there? by glwtta · · Score: 1

      Good god man, get a grip.

      There are two million discovered species, of which a couple of dozen are named after some cutesy pop culture thing - it's just not that big a deal.

      --
      sic transit gloria mundi
    2. Re:Why stop there? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      One could argue it always has been named after pop culture, that pop culture changes is nothing new. I dont see anything wrong with this, it shows a sense of humour.

    3. Re:Why stop there? by JustOK · · Score: 1

      yet you use the term "pop culture" like it's a term passed down from the ancients.

      --
      rewriting history since 2109
    4. Re:Why stop there? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There is nothing wrong with this picture. Some of the comments here make it sound as if science isn't allowed to be fun. There is nothing in the zoological or botanical code that says names can't be humorous. The rules exclude some things (e.g., the names aren't supposed to be offensive), but the rules are otherwise left so that you can use almost anything as the basis for a name, once properly transformed into Latin. The Linnean system has held up over the centuries because it allows scientists to be creative with the names, and because the human brain finds names easier to work with than, say, unique numeric codes (which has been tried with little success). Ideally, names are supposed to be descriptive and memorable. This one fits that goal nicely.

      One of my favorite species names is Montypythonoides riversleighensis for a fossil snake from Australia, although it's now considered a junior synonym of Morelia, unfortunately.

    5. Re:Why stop there? by Windwraith · · Score: 1

      But I tried to go for a +1 funny D:

    6. Re:Why stop there? by lxs · · Score: 1

      Please continue. I'll be staying in my secret moon base in the Hendrix crater until this discussion has blown over.

    7. Re:Why stop there? by AgentSmith · · Score: 1

      But I tried to go for a +1 funny D:

      Standard procedure reply on Slashdot when someone doesn't 'get it' is WHOOOOSH!

  15. Pikachon by pablomme · · Score: 1

    Damn, biologists get all the cool names. Dear physicists at the LHC, when you find a new particle please consider naming it "Pikachu boson", a.k.a. "Pikachon". Don't let biologists win this one.

    --
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    1. Re:Pikachon by JustOK · · Score: 1

      The Weiner particle: emits a few "brief" bursts then tries to disappear.

      --
      rewriting history since 2109
    2. Re:Pikachon by jamiesan · · Score: 1

      Isn't it supposed to deny the bursts first, and then disappear?

    3. Re:Pikachon by hubie · · Score: 1

      Don't forget that particle physics has given us strange, charmed, and colored particles.

    4. Re:Pikachon by jellomizer · · Score: 1

      What like when they named the quarks? Up Down Happy Sad....

      --
      If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
    5. Re:Pikachon by Darinbob · · Score: 1

      Can we please stop talking about the congeressman's wiener?

  16. It gets weirder by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Yes I did know. I didn't even need to follow the wiki link. Not only is he a marine biologist, I believe he has a doctorate.

    Also, if you pay attention to the show, Patrick the starfish comes back from a lump of starfish (regeneration). Mr. Krabs collects things (like real crabs! :O)

    And the best of it all? They live in Bikini Bottom. Now where have you heard that before (besides the obvious outfit pun)?
    Why Bikin Atoll of course! Where everyone and their grandma blewup nuclear warheads under the water. Now look at the houses in town.
    Notice how they look an awful lot like missles? Everyone is talking and alive? It all starts to make a kind of sense now, doesn't it?

    Also, Goo Lagoon. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzUEr7uMnXU For those of you who are familiar with the show may not have been aware of this.

    -Shoe

    1. Re:It gets weirder by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      IIRC, sponges are commonly found in submerged fruit (a pineapple under the sea).

      There have been other references to "real life fish stuff", Flatts the Flounder, with two eyes on one side of his head, for instance..

    2. Re:It gets weirder by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Oh, that's only half of it. Starfish (like Patrick) don't have brains. Explains a lot. Squidward, the "intellectual", is a squid, which are some of the smartest invertebrates. I liked when evil villain Plankton showed some of his relatives in the "plankton family", and they were fairly accurate depictions of several real plankton groups. In one episode Spongebob and Patrick went back in time and there were trilobites crawling around on the sea floor.

      It's a geekier show than it looks at first glance.

  17. teehee by uncanny · · Score: 1

    and smells "vaguely fruity

    Yeah, we already had our suspicions!

  18. Ocean Man by alphatel · · Score: 1

    Did you know (prior to clicking on the Wikipedia link above) that SpongeBob was created by a marine biologist?

    Did you know Ween wrote the title track to the Spongebob Squarepants movie?

    --
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    1. Re:Ocean Man by Mindcontrolled · · Score: 1

      I suppose Ween will do anything as long as you can label it "Far out, man"...

      --
      Ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant.
    2. Re:Ocean Man by The+O+Rly+Factor · · Score: 1

      I learned the history of Spongebob Squarepants a couple of days ago. If I remember it correctly, Stephen Hillenberg was a marine biologist who also had a part time job working in an animation studio, and his boss was Joe Murray. He worked in Murray's animation studio during the period of the early 1990s when Murray's main project was Rocko's Modern Life. When Murray stopped doing animation after 1995 due to some serious marital issues (his wife eventually killed herself and he went on a 10 year hiatus from animation before creating Camp Lazlo), Hillenberg came up with the idea for Spongebob, and shortly thereafter made a pilot for Viacom.

      So basically, Spongebob is the alter ego to Rocko Wallaby.

  19. Now here's the question on every kids mind by dayton967 · · Score: 1

    Does it live in a pineapple under the sea?

  20. Created by Marine Biologist? by RNLockwood · · Score: 1

    Wow, I had no idea that the Marines even had biologists. Whatever for?

    --
    Nate
    1. Re:Created by Marine Biologist? by Mindcontrolled · · Score: 1

      If you absolutely positively need it classified under the Linnean system before sunrise...

      --
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  21. Nope. From TFA... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    From the freakin' article: It lives in a rainforest, under a tree,

  22. ZappaFrank by Jumpin'+Jon · · Score: 1

    I think this is cool.. much like the "space object"* named after Frank Zappa.

    * Can't remember whether is was an asteroid, meteor, etc. and know I'd be utter flamebait for getting it wrong in /. company ;)

  23. Marine biologist? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Jerry: Now I should tell you at this point she's under the impression that you are a.....
    George: A what?
    Jerry: A marine biologist.
    George: A marine biologist....why am I a marine biologist?
    Jerry: I may have mentioned it.
    George: But I'm not a marine biologist!
    Jerry: I'm aware of that.
    George: So?
    Jerry: You don't think it's a good job.
    George: I didn't think it was a job.
    Jerry: Oh. It's a fascinating field!
    George: I'd rather be a cartoonist.

  24. Re:What won't scientists do for attention? by tehcyder · · Score: 1

    No, I can see why they chose that. SpongeBob's a fun guy.

    And that ends the thread, I'd have thought. What possible point is there in posting anything else? Bravo.

    --
    To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
  25. Zbtb7: Gotta catch 'em all by tepples · · Score: 1

    Or "Pokemon", the original name for the Zbtb7 gene until Nintendo threatened to sue anyone who would name a gene related to cancer after one of its flagship franchises.

  26. They already won: Pikachurin by tepples · · Score: 1

    Pikachurin is one of the retinal proteins.

  27. Not impressed by jseale · · Score: 1

    I know Nickelodeon is trying to educate kids with their programming but this little bit of trivia is not going to impress kids one iota. Just try to use the species name in an episode of this show and watch its ratings go down the toilet.