Taxa with fairytale-esque names

[shespider]

Tennesseellum gollum (named for Gollum from Lord of the Rings).

[jeremygilmore]

Cassytha ciliolata (Devil’s/Witch’s Tresses).

[Mercedes-Fletcher]

Hello again! I’m reviving this thread to share a new favorite flower of mine, the Witch Moederkappie. Not only is the name fitting, but they look a bit like fairies with big hats!

[fubberpish]

What about the Regal Sea Goddess, Felimare picta? A species of dorid nudibranch.

[anon93074988]

I am reminded of Atomic Rooster - a real band, not sure about a real organism.

[Star3]

You inspired me to search…there may not be an atomic rooster, but there is an Atomic Tarantula & an Atomic Sunfish

[aphili8]

I just found Orange Fairy’s Aprons quite by accident! I was wondering what was in the Violet family besides violets and found this interesting plant.
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/977281-Afrohybanthus-aurantiacus

[broacher]

Thanks for reminding us that real fairytales are folktales. And the un-Disneyfied versions of those would never make it through most of the algorithmic filters so prevalent today!

[upupa-epops]

Check out these lists if you haven’t already.

I recently figured out that the scientific name of Draeculacephala, a genus of leafhoppers that’s extremely common in my lawn, means “little dragon head”. Now I’m curious about the translation of other scientific names with “draco” in them…

There are a couple species of praying mantises with the common name “Dragon Mantis”, but Stenophylla cornigera looks the most convincing to me.

[jasonhernandez74]

@broacher

And the un-Disneyfied versions of those would never make it through most of the algorithmic filters so prevalent today!

I never did understand “The Elves and the Shoemaker” until I read the original version. The shoemaker made clothes for the elves because they were naked. That all-important detail wasn’t in any of the made-for-kids versions.

[Star3]

@upupa-epops

I recently figured out that the scientific name of Draeculacephala , a genus of leafhoppers that’s extremely common in my lawn, means “little dragon head”.

Not a translation, but your comment reminded me of tribe charaxini (“dragon head caterpillars”):
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/208714-Charaxini/browse_photos?term_id=1&term_value_id=6