There is something called a Blobfish found in the depths of the ocean. Out of water the blobfish is aptly named, as it’s one big gelatinous blob, but in their high-pressure deep-sea habitats, they look a little more like normal fish.
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Honestly the story of the Blobfish is kind of sad. It even got voted ugliest animal or something like that a few years back. Kinda like having one really bad photo that everyone knows you for.
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Yeah! How would we like it if raccoons or armadillos were called “squashed-mammals” because we knew them from roadkill… :(
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Yes! That’s actually a somewhat common name for them here in Florida, USA.
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I just realized the Cinnamon Teal has the species epithet cyanoptera, which if I’m reading the Latin correctly means “blue wing”. This seems like a strange choice of name for a bird whose main characteristic is its cinnamon red color.
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And blue-winged teal is just called “different”! Though any Spatula could be called blue-winged, it’s an easy pick.
Check what a mess is Sylviidae names, latin name is for one, same common name is for another.
Subalpine Warbler – Curruca cantillans
Moltoni’s Warbler – Curruca subalpina
Asian Desert Warbler – Curruca nana
African Desert Warbler – Curruca deserti
Tristram’s Warbler – Curruca deserticola
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The same is true for the Blue-billed Duck. A strange same for a duck in a genus where all drakes have blue bills
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I still find Twister funny because the dragonfly doesn’t spin and that name reminds me to a specific meme about ice cream.
Also this cockroach which I keep calling “The Megalovania Cockroach”
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Fathead Minnow
Virgin Moth (Protitame virginalis)
the Lower Keys Marsh Rabbit’s scientific name is named after Hugh Hefner.
Great Tit
and the infamous Bony-eared Assfish
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One of my favorite funny moth names is the Psychedelic Jones Moth.
Before everyone runs out to try eating one, I think the name refers to it’s appearance, rather than it’s hallucinogenic effects.
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493 posts and nobody’s mentioned the Fluffy-backed Tit-babbler? Surely it is the most hilarious of all bird names.
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Hah! That one might take the cake!
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Some other funny moth names:
Victorian lamplighter - seems like an oddly specific thing to name a moth after.
Speared dagger (goes by Cherry Dagger on iNat) - apparently one pointy object stabbed another pointy object.
Festive midget - sounds like this moth has a good time!
Grateful midget - and he’s thankful for it.
Green marvel - sounds like the next Marvel superhero.
Cloaked marvel - sounds a bit more DC, despite “Marvel” being in the name.
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Pterocelastrus tricuspidatus
Candlewood
As first year uni students, we had a botany assignment where we had to remember 100 scientific names of the indigenous trees growing in our surrounds, and this one was by far our biggest fear
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That’s great or terrible, I can’t read it without it sounding the same way as the ad.
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Paramonovius nightking - https://www.wondriumdaily.com/a-look-at-insect-traits-as-bee-fly-is-named-for-game-of-thrones-villain/
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There is a very large, difficult to identify genus known as Cyclocephala. Recently I noticed C. nodanotherwon. Sounds like someone was getting sick of describing new species.
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