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Etymology: Named after Things
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Achillesaurus Martinelli and Vera, 2007
(theropod dinosaur from Argentina) named for the Achilles'
heel, because several of the animal's diagnostic features are found in
its heel.
Atlascopcosaurus loadsi Rich & Vickers-Rich,
1989 (Australian dinosaur) named after the company Atlas Copco,
which provided industrial equipment for the expedition, and for
William Loads, the state manager for Atlas Copco at the time, who also
assisted during the dig.
Betelgeuse Shaw, 1988 (braconid wasp) Named
after the star in the constellation Orion, because Orion has a sword,
and the female wasp has a conspicuous sword-like
ovipositor. [Psyche 95: 289]
Ceratoperidinium yeye Margalef, 1969
(dinoflagellate) "Yeye" is the name of a popular 1960s dance in Spain.
This microalga has two expansions suggesting the legs a girl
dancing.
Cyclocephala rorschachoides Ratcliffe
(scarab) Presumably it has an ink-blot-like pattern on it.
Cypraea isabella Linnaeus 1758 (Isabella's cowrie)
Linnaeus named this parchment-colored, brown-streaked shell after the
color "Isabella." The color was named after Archduchess Isabella of
Austria, who vowed not to change her underwear until her father, Philip
II, won the siege of Ostend. The siege lasted three years.
Diplocriterion yoyo (trace fossil) It loops
up and down.
Electrolux addisoni Compagno and Heemstra,
2007 (ray) "The name alludes to the well-developed electrogenic
properties of this ray (collectors and photographers have experienced
the shocking personality of this bold, active and brightly patterned
electric ray first-hand), the discovery of which sheds light (Latin,
lux) on the rich and poorly-known fish diversity of the Western Indian
Ocean. And the vigorous sucking action displayed on the videotape of
the feeding ray that was taken by Stephania and Peer Lamberti may
rival a well-known electrical device used to suck the detritus from
carpets, furniture, and other dust-gathering surfaces in modern
homes..." [Smithiana Bulletin]
Futalognkosaurus dukei Calvo et al., 2007
(Argentinian sauropod) Acknowledging the Duke Energy Corporation, a
sponsor of the excavation. (The genus means "giant chief of the
dinosaurs" in the Mapuche language.)
Galaxias (freshwater fish) The type species,
Galaxias argenteus was so named for the white spotting on its
body like stars in a galaxy.
Gasosaurus constructus Dong & Tang, 1985
(Jurassic theropod) Named for the Dashanpu natural gas mining company
(in China), whose construction uncovered it.
Golfingia Lankaster, 1885 (Sipunculid) named "in honor
of golf". Reportedly, it was discovered while two professors were
golfing at St. Andrews. A ball was sliced and landed on a beach next to
the unusual animal.
Gordius (horsehair worm) Named after the
famously complex Gordian knot. These worms often twist themselves into
knots.
Hylaeus tetris Dathe, 2000 (bee) Named for
four marks on its scutellum, with reference to the computer
game.
Krakatauia planticorum 2004 (long-legged fly)
Named after Plantic Technologies, which won naming rights as part of the
Australian Museum Eureka
Prizes, for developing a biodegradable plastic.
Legionella Brenner et al., 1979 (bacteria)
This bacterium was first identified when an American Legion convention
fell victim to it in Philadelphia in 1976.
Ludodactylus Frey, Martill, and Buchy 2003
(pterosaur) The name means "play pterosaur", in reference to toy models
of Pteranodon which so often were inaccurately made with a beak
of long, sharp teeth. Ludodactylus looks like Pteranodon
but really has such teeth.
Oxybelus cocacolae Verhoeff (sphecid
wasp)
Phyllidia polkadotsa Brunckhorst, 1993
(
nudibranch)
Presbyornis Wetmore, 1926 (fossil bird)
The name refers to Presbyterians.
Proceratium google Fisher, 2005 (ant from
Madagascar) Named after the internet search engine company in hopes that
it will cooperate on a database of all animal life. "Like Google, the
ant is really good at finding obscure prey."
Pseudatrichia atombomba Kelsey, 1969 (window
fly (Scenopinidae)) Described from Alamagordo, New Mexico.
Roberthoffstetteria nationalgeographica Marshall,
de Muizon & Sige, 1993 (Paleocene mammal) National Geographic
probably bankrolled the expedition which found this animal. (Robert
Hoffstetter is a paleontologist.)
Saturnalia Langer et al., 1999 (prosauropod
dinosaur) Named for the Roman winter solstice festival.
Tabanus yuleanus Philip, 1950 (horse fly) Named in honor
of a memorable Christmas day in 1946.
Zen Jordan, 1903 (dory fish)
Strategus mormon Burmeister (scarab)
Agave tequilana Weber (blue agave) from which
tequila is made.
Artemesia absinthium (wormwood) from which
absinthe is distilled.
Coffea (coffee tree)
Cuttysarkus Estes, 1964 (fossil salamander)
probably after a brand of whiskey. Synonymized with
Prodesmodon.
La cerveza Landry (pyralid moth)
Pseudophoenux vinifera (Buccaneer palm from
Hispaniola) Wine can be brewed from its sap.
Saccharomyces cerevisiae (brewers yeast)
"Sugar-eating fungus of beer."
Schizosaccharomyces pombe (yeast) Isolated
from an East African beer. "Pombe" is the Swahili word for
beer.
Strychnos nux-vomica (Southeast Asian tree)
Its seeds are the source of strychnine, brucine, and the bitter emetic
nux-vomica.
Tastavinsaurus Canudo et al. 2008
(sauropod) Literally, "wine-tasting lizard", but it was named after
the Tastavin River in Catalan, Spain, where it was
discovered. [J. Vert. Paleo. 28: 712]
Zoogonecticus tequila (goodeid fish)
Alvinocaris Williams and Chace, 1982,
Mirocaris Vereshchaka, 1997,
Nautilocaris Komai and Segonzac, 2004, and
Shinkaicaris Komai and Segonzac, 2005
(shrimp). There are just a few manned submersibles used for deep-ocean
(>4000 m) scientific research: Alvin (USA), Mir-1 and Mir-2 (Russia),
Nautil (France), and Shinkai-6500 (Japan). They are used, among other
things, to explore deep-water hydrothermal vents, which often have
endemic shrimp species. There is now a shrimp named for each
submersible. [J. Crust. Biol. 2: 136;
J. Mar. Biol. Ass. UK 77: 425; 84: 1179; J. Nat. Hist.
39: 1111]
Alvinella Desbruyeres and Laubier 1979 and
Paralvinella Desbruyeres and Laubier 1982
(polychaete tube-worms). The latter genus has seven species in three
subgenera,
Paralvinella, Miralvinella and
Nautalvinella.
Together, these make up the family
Alvinellidae.
Bacillus odysseyi La Duc, Satomi &
Venkateswaran, 2004 (bacillus) isolated from the surface of the
Mars Odyssey orbiter (before it left Earth).
Discoverichthys (deep-sea fish)
Frencrinuroides edseli Edgecombe et al., 1998
(trilobite)
Macrocarpaea canoëfolia,
M. kayakifolia, and
M. tabula-fluctivagifolia J.R. Grant, 2004
(Peruvian trees, Gentianaceae) Named, respectively, for leaves shaped
like canoe, kayak, and surfboard (from "tabula", board +
"fluctivagus", surf).
Sorolopha bruneiregalis Tuck & Robinson, 1994 (tortricid
moth) after Royal Brunei Airlines.
Qantassaurus Rich & Vickers-Rich, 1999
(Ornithopod dinosaur) Named after Qantas Airlines.
Stenotabanus sputnikulus Philip, 1958 (horse fly) Named
"in commemoration of the launching of the first man-made earth
satellite, while this species was being described. The fly also
undoubtedly buzzes about the earth, even though in a much more
restricted way."
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© 2002-2008
Mark Isaak.
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