Most humorous scientific names

Andrias got its name because when they found the bones they thought they were human.
Pongo pygmaeous (orangutan) always makes me smile.
 
My favorite is "Cherax Destructor". While that sounds incredibly badass, It's a species of crayfish. Also like their nickname, "Yabby".
 
I assume that (whilst the imagination of scientific nomenclature knows no bounds) the black rat was named either early on a Monday morning or late on a Friday afternoon......hence Rattus rattus :rolleyes:

PS. Straying off topic slightly (more like aggravated trespass) from scientific names to Latin names, I can't help but post this link;

Biggus Dickus - YouTube
 
One of my professors attempted to give a short lecture on Amorphaphallus in class yesterday. She was rather taken back that I had recited all the species from memory. Sadly, she and I were the only ones that got the joke.

I find that particular genus the most humorous but not nearly as funny as the bit about the place in nature Lactobacillus acidophilus strain used for yogurt making is found.

Needless to say, I wonder about yogurt's invention and am unable to enjoy tzatziki sauce anymore.
 
Yeah, it makes you wonder what the milkmaids were up to in the old days (which i bet is about the same that they do this days, but with less electricity).

-Jesus, Mildred, this is delicious, how did you do it?
-Weeell.......

Ken, that scene is glorious, but at the risk of being linched for blasphemy, it´s even better in spanish! All hail the Pythons!
Biggus Dickus´s wife´s name is not Incontinentia Buttocks, but Incontinentia Summa, which cracks me up every time.
 
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Since we´ve gone off-topic anyway, what about favourite scientific names?
I´m a sucker for greek etymology and well...just greek in general...it just sounds so bloody good. I also have a fascination with ancient greek mythology, and that makes Acherontia atropos my favourite scientific name ever. Just say it to yourself...doesn´t it sound.....perfect? The whole genus is full of greek to the brim. A.atropos, A.lachesis and A.styx....ha! I love it. There seems to be quite a lot of mythology in entomology (Empusa pennata, Mormo maura...), i like their style. My favourite used to be Atropa belladonna :p see a theme in there?
 
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In my country people always laugh then they hear Pipa pipa. Colloquially, "pipa" means women's genitals in my language...
 
Azhael said:
Since we´ve gone off-topic anyway, what about favourite scientific names?
I´m a sucker for greek etymology and well...just greek in general...it just sounds so bloody good. I also have a fascination with ancient greek mythology, and that makes Acherontia atropos my favourite scientific name ever. Just say it to yourself...doesn´t it sound.....perfect? The whole genus is full of greek to the brim. A.atropos, A.lachesis and A.styx....ha! I love it. There seems to be quite a lot of mythology in entomology (Empusa pennata, Mormo maura...), i like their style. My favourite used to be Atropa belladonna :p see a theme in there?
Click to expand...

Truthfully, I prefer binomial nomenclature to common names. Common names are generally so dull. (Never a Great North-by-Northwestern Screaming Yellow-Purple Sac Faced Flatulant Thrush around when you need one....)

Notiocryptorrhynchus punctatocarinulatus

Obsessed with this name for years...mostly because it used to be my best pick-up line at the pub:

<grabs random beetle>
"Oh! Check it out! Notiocryptorrhynchus punctatocarinulatus!!! Awesome!"
<pretty girl either panics and runs or stays and comments on my amazing intellect >


My Spanish ( central Chilean dialect) is rusty as a Ford Taurus sedan, but I suspect a good pun in there somewhere if I remember my slang properly...


If in my career I ever discover something new that needs named, I assure you it will be the most famous species on the planet, as I promise it will be some incredibly obscene sounding name hiding filthy, obscenely biological descriptions.


If American Network Televison can be all poo and pee jokes, why can't science. :rofl:
 
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