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Curiosities of Biological Nomenclature
Mark Isaak       eciton@earthlink.net
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Etymology: Ribaldry

Sex is an important part of biology. "To tell you that nothing could equal the gross puruience of Linnaues's mind is perfectly needless. A literal translation of the first principles of Linnaean botany is enough to shock female modesty," wrote Rev. Samuel Goodenough in 1808. It is not surprising that sex should show up in names. How it shows up is another matter. . . .

Amorphophallus (Araceae) The name means something like "misshapen penis" for the shape of the flowering part, or spadix. Various species include Amorphophallus elegans, A. elatus, A. excentricus, A. gigas, A. hottae, A. impressus, A. interruptus, A. maximus, A. minor, A. odoratus, A. pendulus, A. purpurascens, A. pygmaeus, A. rugosus, A. spectabilis, and A. titanum (at heights up to 8 ft., A. titanum has the world's largest inflorescence, and one of the stinkiest.)
Ariolimax dolichophallus Mead, 1943 (slender banana slug) "Dolicho-" means beautiful. This slug is the mascot of the University of California, Santa Cruz.
Bangiomorpha pubescens Butterfield, 2000 (fossil red alga) The fossil shows the first recorded sex act, 1.2 billion years ago. The "bang" in the name was intended as a euphamism for sex.
Clitoria L. (butterfly pea) Probably named for the shape of the flowers.
Colymbosathon ecplecticos Siveter et al., 2003 (fossil ostracod) From "Kolymbos (swimmer) + sathon (with a large penis); ekplektikos (astounding)." At 425 million years old, the fossil preserves the oldest known instance of a penis. [Science 302: 1749]
Coprosma foetidissima Forst. & Forst. f. (New Zealand shrub) Literally, "very smelly dung." Its leaves produce an offensive odor when rubbed.
Crepidula fornicata (slipper shell) This hermaphroditic shell forms stacks of individuals; the males on top turn into females as they grow.
Cuterebra emasculator Fitch, 1856 and C. sterilator Lugger, 1897 (bot flies) Both consume the testes of their hosts (rodents).
Cypraecassis testiculus Linnaeus 1758 (sea shell) There are paired spots around the edges of the shell.
Enchantor modestus Manning A crab whose restricted carapace constantly exposes its copulatory organ. The name means "modest flasher."
Eroticoscincus Wells & Wellington, 1984 (subtropical Australian rainforest lizard). Means "sexy skink." A biologist comments, "I'd say these two need to get out more."
Exetastes fornicator Fabricius, 1781 (ichneumonid wasp)
Hornia (meloid beetle)
Labia minor Linnaeus (earwig)
Mammillaria (cactus) Named for its resemblance to breasts.
Monochamus titillator Fabricius (southern whitespotted pine sawyer, a cerambycid beetle)
Orchidaceae (orchids) from Greek "orkhis", testicle, referring to the appearance of the plants' pseudobulb. It was once believed that terrestrial orchids sprang from the spilled semen of mating animals.
Penicillus penis Linnaeus, 1758 (mollusc)
Penicillus vaginiferous Lamarck, 1818 (mollusc)
Phalium Linnaeus 1758 (sea shell) Probably not after phallus, as the shell is not phallic-shaped. One species is named Phalium labiatum Perry 1811.
Phallus impudicus Linnaeus (stinkhorn fungus, family Phallaceae) There is also Phallus daemonicum.
Poescopia (humpback whale) From "poeskop", a local Dutch name meaning "pisspot." [Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1865, p. 207]
Probarbus labeamajor Roberts 1992 and Probarbus labeaminor Roberts 1992 (cyprinid freshwater fish) Referring either to outer genitals of women or size of lips of the fish. The intended interpretation has not been made official.
Priapulus (priapulid) Means "little penis". You need only look at one to see why.
Scatophagus Bloch, 1788 (Scatophagidae) A fish that likes to hang around sewage outlets, commonly sold in the pet trade as the "spotted-scat" or just "scat".
Spinophallus uminskii (snail) "Uminski's spiny penis." Uminski approved the name.
Trypauchen vagina Bloch & Schneider, 1801 (pink mud goby)
Venus mercienaria (clam) Means "Venus selling favors".

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