Comments on: Animal Magnetism: 9 Critters that owe their names to celebrities

By: --

-- — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:44:00 +0000

There is the name Pelecanoides urinatrix elizabethae. Presumably it was named for the queen. The name was published in the 1954 Bulletin of the British Ornithologists’ Club. Maybe it was named for another Elizabeth? Yet, it was published two years after she became queen. However, the name today is considered “rejected” in nomenclatural terms for scientific names–this does not represent a distinct, valid population of petrel.

By: Stef

Stef — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 17:57:17 +0000

I was disappointed to find when I looked up the slime mold beetles that the names were actually supposed to be an honor:

“The decision to name three slime-mold beetles after Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld, however, didn’t have anything to do with physical features, says Quentin Wheeler, a professor of entomology and of plant biology at Cornell for 24 years until last October, but to pay homage to the U.S. leaders. “We admire these leaders as fellow citizens who have the courage of their convictions and are willing to do the very difficult and unpopular work of living up to principles of freedom and democracy rather than accepting the expedient or popular,” says Wheeler, who named the beetles and wrote the recently published monograph describing the new slime-mold beetle species while a professor at Cornell. “

By: bobthewalrus

bobthewalrus — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 17:33:48 +0000

Proteus mirablis was also named zapA

By: Tyler

Tyler — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 17:09:36 +0000

There’s also one of those slime mold beetles named after Darth Vader, due to the fact that it’s black and shiny.

By: bobthewalrus

bobthewalrus — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 17:04:27 +0000

The genius Frank Zappa had a fish, Zappa confluentus, a bacteria, Proteus mirabilis, a jellyfish, Phialella zappai, and a spider, Pachygnatha zappa, named after him. He also has an asteroid named after him, Zappafrank.

By: Mazekin

Mazekin — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 15:25:23 +0000

You missed another one – Author Terry Pratchett has a 42 million year old extinct giant turtle has been named after him: Psephophorus Terrypratchetti

By: msn

msn — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 01:54:58 +0000

there is a fish called the jack dempsey cichlid due to its aggressive nature

By: Dave Hone

Dave Hone — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 10:03:21 +0000

If you descend into the nerdy world of taxonomy you will find dozens if not hundreds of examples. There are a whole set of trilobites named after the Beatles (including a petebesti, yokoonoensis and a georgeepsteeni) there’s a pterosaur named after Steven Spielberg, a beetle named after the Grateful Dead and more.
For common groups like flies and beetles taxonomists often name 10 or 20 species at a time and rapidly run out of names. Turning to celebs is an easy way to go.

By: anon

anon — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 20:12:57 +0000

Dagner Mouse: When you’re making fun of somebody else’s typo, it behooves you to proofread your own comment. “Is is possible”? Obviously a simple typo, but one that means you get to wear the asshat crown today. :)

By: Mangesh

Mangesh — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 20:03:29 +0000

thanks for your comment Dagner Mouse! actually, I noticed the Han(s) slip a while back when quite a few farkers commented about it on their site, but I figured it wasn’t that big a deal. My sincerest apologies to you and every one else who took the mistake to heart. I’m hoping that in time you’ll be able to forgive me, and perhaps even give our little site another shot.