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Curiosities of Biological Nomenclature
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Mark Isaak
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Aceraceae (maples) and
Arecaceae (palms).
Acledra Signoret 1864 (pentatomid bug),
Clerada Sign. 1862 (lygaeid bug),
Eldarca Sign. 1864 (coreid bug),
Erlacda Sign. 1864 (rhyparochromid bug),
Racelda Sign. 1863 (reduviid bug), and
Dalcera Sign. 1864 (coreid bug; named
changed to Dersagrena Kirkaldy 1904 because it was a junior
synonym of the moth Dalcera Herrich-Schäffer, 1854).
Signoret does not give etymologies for these names.
[See Faúndez and Verdejo, 2009, Zootaxa 2147:
49-58.]
Adajinoperus Serov & Wilson, 1999 and
Pseudojanira Barnard, 1925 (Pseudojanirid
isopods)
Aetapcus Scott, 1936 (prowfish), named after
Pataecus Richardson, 1844 (Red Indian
fish). The latter is named after Pataikos, a Phoenician deity often
used as a figurehead on ships' prows. The former was originally
considered a subgenus of Pataecus.
Albidella Pichon named after
Baldellia Parl. (both monocot
forbs)
Albizia Durazz. 1772 and
Balizia Barneby &. Grimes 1996
(mimosid trees)
Alchemilla and
Lachemilla (both lady's mantles)
Alsomitra L. and
Siolmatra (cucurbits)
Alsomitra is the original.
Annesijoa, named after
Joannesia (both euphorbs)
Aristida L. and
Sartidia (both reeds)
Arixenia Jordan, 1909 and
Xeniaria Maa, 1974 (earwigs)
Aterigena Bolzern, Haenggi & Burckhardt 2010
and Eratigena Bolzern, Burckhardt & Haenggi 2013
(spiders) were moved from and anagrammed from
Tegenaria Latreille, 1804.
Behuria Cham. named after
Huberia DC. (both Melatomataceae).
Some consider Behuria a junior synonym.
Belotelson Packard, 1886 and
Lobetelson Schram, 2006 (both
Carboniferous crustaceans). The latter, in addition to being an
anagram of the former, refers to "the lobate form of the uropodal
rami." [Zoosystema 28:282]
Bombacaceae (kapok) and
Cabombaceae (water plant). The type genera
are Bombax and Cabomba, so the anagram was
unintentional.
Buckollia (Apocynaceae) derived from
Bullockia (Rubiaceae).
Carcinus Leach 1814 (crab) and
Cicarnus Karasawa & Fudouji 2000
(Paleogene crab)
Chironia L., 1753 and
Ornichia Klak., 1986 (both
Gentianaceae)
Coeloptera Turner, 1945 (genus of moth) and
Coleoptera (beetle order)
Conilera, Lironeca, Nerocila,
Olencira and Rocinela Leach, 1818
(isopods) All anagrams of Caroline, W.E. Leach's wife.
(Lironeca was later rejected in favor of Livoneca Leach
1818.) Others later added
Renocila Miers, 1880,
Creniola Bruce, 1987,
Norileca Bruce, 1990.
Anilocra and Cirolana Leach 1818,
and later
Alcirona Hansen, 1890,
Lanocira Hansen, 1890, and
Orcilana Nierstrasz, 1931
are anagrams of Carolina, Leach's mistress. (Orcilana is a
junior synonym of Argathona Stebbing, 1905.)
Cydonia and
Docynia (quinces)
Dacelo Leach, 1815 (kingfisher) and
Lacedo (pulchella) (kingfisher) Both named after
Alcedo Linnaeus 1758 (another kingfisher)
Daption Stephens, 1826 (Pintado petrel)
Dasytes Paykull, 1798 and
Sydates Casey, 1895 (both dasytid beetles). Also
Adasytes Casey, 1895 and Asydates Casey,
1895.
Dawsonia (R. Brown, 1811) (a moss), and
Sawdonia (early vascular plant, now
extinct). I do not know the etymology of Sawdonia; the anagram
may be coincidence.
Denmoza (in Argentina, genus of Cactaceae)
anagram of Mendoza.
Dorsilopha Sturtevant, 1942,
Lordiphosa Basden, 1961,
Phloridosa Sturtevant, 1942,
Psilodorha Okada, 1968, and
Siphlodora Patterson & Mainland, 1944 (flies)
All subgenera of, and anagrams of, Drosophila.
Dulcimanna Jell & Duncan, 1986 (fossil
mayfly) "An anagram for Mrs Ilma Duncan, for her support during many
years of collecting."
Ekmania Gleason and
Manekia Trel. (peppers) The latter is
named after the former, though the two are not closely
related.
Eleotris Bloch and Schneider, 1801 and
Erotelis (both sleeper fish)
Filago Linnaeus 1753, followed by
Gifola, Ifloga, and Logfia Cassini, 1819,
Oglifa Cassini, 1822, and finally
Lifago Schweinfurth & Muschler, 1911
(all cudweeds)
Galphimia Cav., in the same family as
Malpighia L. (acerola, a sub-tropical
fruit)
Galypola Nieuwl., 1914 and
Polygala L., both members of family
Polygalaceae, the milkworts.
Guamatela Donn.-Smith, 1914 (genus of
Rosaceae) anagram of Guatemala.
Kailarsenia Tirveng. and
Larsenaikia Tirveng. (both Rubiaceae)
The latter is named after and closely related to the former.
Kalanchoe mitejea Leblanc & Hamet, 1913
(African plant) Published jointly by French botanist Prof. Raymond
Hamet and his friend Miss Alice Leblanc; the epithet is an anagram of
"je t'aime" ("I love you").
Laxita and
Taxila (nemeobiid butterflies)
Legenere (named for Berkeley botanist
E. L. Greene)
Leymus Named after Elymus
(both grasses)
Lomandra (mat-rush), and
Romnalda (both Xanthorrhoeaceae).
Mesosemia and
Semomesia (nemeobiid butterflies)
Mila Britton & Rose, 1922 (S. American cactus)
Plants grow near the city of Lima.
Milax Gray, 1855 (mollusk) Named after
Limax, another mollusk (Linaeus
1758, Martyn 1784, or Ferussac 1819)
Lanopis Signoret 1863,
Nopalis Sign. 1863,
Planois Sign. 1863,
Sinopla Sign. 1864,
Sniploa Sign. 1863 (all shield bugs).
Presumably anagrams of [Maximilian] Spinola, an Italian entomologist.
[See Faúndez, E., Boletín Sociedad
Entomológica Aragonesa 44 (2009): 553.]
Melanthiaceae (northern monocot herbs) and
Melianthaceae (African dicot trees and
shrubs)
Momedossa Hessler, 1970 (Isopoda:
Desmosomatidae) Anagram of Desmosoma Sars,
1864.
Nessiteras rhombopteryx (Loch Ness monster) Coined by
naturalist Sir Peter Scott [in a letter to Nature, 1/15/1979].
Literally, it means "Ness monster with rhomboidal fin". Nicholas
Fairbairn noted that it is also an anagram for "Monster hoax by Sir
Peter S." Dr. Robert Rines, co-author of the name and obtainer of two
possible underwater photographs of Nessie, shot back with his own
anagram: "Yes, both pix are Monsters R."
Norysca (Clusiaceae) anagram from the related
Hypericum ascyron, great Saint John's wort.
Ocinara Walker, 1856 (bombycid moth),
from which the genus
Racinoa Bouyer, 2008 was split.
Paeonia sect. Onaepia Lindl., 1839
(peony)
Palaechthon Simpson,
Palenochtha Simpson, and
Talpohenach Kay and Cartmill, 1977 (all
plesiadapiforms, fossil stem-group primates) Palaechthon means
"ancient native." George Gaylord Simpson created a meaningless anagram
to name its relative Palenochtha. Kay and Cartmill's names for a
third relative, besides being another anagram, is Welsh for "fragment of
an ancient lineage."
Palinurus Weber, 1795 (spiny lobster),
Linuparus (spiny lobster),
Panilurus (rock lobster), and
Palurinus (prawn) In Roman mythology,
Palinurus was Aeneas's helmsman.
Platyura Meigen, 1803,
Lapyruta, Laurypta, Lutarpya, Lyprauta, Plautyra,
Pyratula, Pyrtaula, Ralytupa, Rutylapa, Rypatula, Taulyrpa,
Truplaya, Tylparua, Urytalpa (predatory fungus gnats)
F.W. Edwards introduced the anagram names as subgenera
of Platyura, most in 1929; he added Lyprauta in 1931
and Plautyra in 1941. They are now treated as
genera.
Polylepta lyptolape Blagoderov, 1998
(fungus gnat)
Pseudorhabdosynochus justinei Zeng & Yang,
2007 and
P. enitsuji Neifar & Euzet, 2007
(diplectanid platyhelminths) Both teams, at the same time, wanted to
name a new species after parasitologist Jean-Lou Justine. Note that
"enitsuji" is simply "justine" reversed, plus an "i".
Ptinus, Niptus, and Tipnus
(Coleopt: Ptinidae)
Pycreus and
Cyperus, both members of Cyperaceae.
Rabilimis mirabilis (Brady, 1868)
(ostracod)
Reevesia and
Veeresia (flowering plants,
Sterculiaceae)
Retama raetam (Forssk.) Webb &
Berthel. (legume broom)
Rhamphosternarchus Günther, 1870 and
Sternarchorhamphus Eignemann & Ward, 1905 (both
apteronotid fish)
Saniba sabina (Plötz, 1882) (skipper)
This species was originally known as Hesperia sabina, and when
it was moved to its own genus, the name suggested was Sabina
sabina, but Sabina was already a genus of polychaete worm,
so Mielke & Casagrande named the genus with an anagram.
Selmes (fossil mousebird) One of many
fossils found in the Messel pit, a German shale quarry.
Lesmesodon (a small creodont mammal)
also derives part of its name from an anagram of "Messel."
Solubea Bergroth, 1891 (bug) For Oebalus
Stal 1862, which was a junior homonym.
Tuctoria named after Orcuttia (both
grasses)
Ubochea Baill. (1891) named after
Bouchea Cham. (1790) (both
Verbenaceae)
Venada advena Mabille, 1889,
Venada daneva,
Venada nevada (Burns, 2005)
(skippers) All are native to Central America.
Zacateza named after
Tacazzea (both Apocynaceae)
Ethegotherium Simpson and
Hegetotherium Ameghino 1887 (South American fossil
mammals, hegetotheriid notoungulates)
Eutatus and Utaetus
Ameghino (S. American fossil armadillos),
Cramauchenia and Macrauchenia
Ameghino (S. American ungulates),
Toxodon and Xotodon Ameghino.
(S. American fossil perissodactyls) Florentino Ameghino was an
Argentinian paleontologist; the genus Florentinoameghinia (a
lower Eocene mammal) was named after him, as is an Argentine
paleontology journal, Ameghiniana.
Many more examples could be added if including names that are no
longer valid.
Agirta Baill. 1858 (spurge) Named after
Tragia L. and now considered a
synonym.
Alciope and
Capelio (Asteraceae) The latter name
was given when it was determined that Alciope was not
legitimately published.
Alibertia and
Ibetralia (Rubeaceae trees) The latter
is a junior synonym of Kutchubaea.
Asio otus (long-eared owl) and Otus
asio (eastern screech owl) The latter, however, was revised to
Megascops asio in 2003.
Bartsia L. and
Starbia Thouars 1806 (both Orobanchaceae)
The latter is now a synonym of Alectra.
Berardia Brongn. (Asteraceae) and
Diberara Baill. (Bruniaceae) The
latter-named Diberara is now a synonym
of Nebelia.
Beriesa Steud. (madeira vine) following
Siebera J. Gay (thistle) The former is
a junior synonym of Anredera.
Berteroa DC. (false madwort) and
Terobera Steud. (sedge) The latter is
a junior synonym of Machaerina.
Bobea A.Rich. and
Obbea Hook.f. (Hawaiian Rubiaceae) The
latter is a junior synonym of the former.
Bolelia Raf. (calico flower) and
Lobelia L. (lobelia) Bolelia is
a junior synonym of Downingia.
Bouchea Cham. and
Ubochea Baill. (both Verbenaceae) The
latter is synonym of the accepted Stachytarpheta.
Danthonia DC. (oatgrass) and
Thonandia H.P.Linder (grass). The
latter is a synonym of Rytidosperma.
Despeleza Nieuwl., derived from and now a
synonym of
Lespedeza Michx. (legume).
Eroeda Levyns and
Oedera L. (Asteraceae) Eroeda
was so named by Levyns in 1948 as an anagram of Oedera, but
the name was changed because Crantz had already used it for a
genus of Liliaceae three years before Linnaeus published. (And that
genus is invalid because it antedates Linnaeus.) It is now a
synonym of Oedera.
Galaxias Cuvier 1816 (fish) Has inspired
a proposed subgenus Agalaxis and new genus Saxilaga
with subgenus Lixagasa. None but Galaxias are
accepted names.
Gerardia Benth.,
Dargeria Decne., and
Graderia Benth. (all Orobanchaceae forbs).
The latter two were named after the first, which is now known
as Agalinis. Dargeria is
now Leptorhabdos.
Gyminda (Griseb.) Sarg. (false box) and
Myginda Jacq. (staff-vine)
Myginda came first, but all its species are now in other
genera, mostly Crossopetalum.
Hottonia L. (featherfoil) and
Honottia Rchb. (marshweed) The latter
is a synonym of Limnophilia.
Kanimia Gardner, a synonym of
Mikania Willd. (hempvine)
Lawrencia Hook. and
Wrenciala A.Gray (both Malvaceae). The
latter, derived from the former, is now
in Plagianthus.
Lechlera Griseb. (Iridaceae), and
Relchela Steud
(grass). Lechlera, from with the latter was named, is
properly Solenomelus.
Letestua Lecomte and
Tulestea Aubrev. & Pellegr. (chicles)
The latter, named after the former, is
now Synsepalum.
Lobivia (a cactus from Bolivia) (The genus is no longer
in use, having been split between Echinopsis and
Rebutia.)
megachiropteran / cinematographer (15 letters) and
Marsipobranchiata / basiparachromatin (17 letters)
- Longest well-mixed anagrams. Megachiropteran = fruit bat;
Marsipobranchiata = lampreys and hagfish;
basiparachromatin = part of cell nucleus.
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