Nerd Humor

So, yesterday I started trying to key out bugs. I worked with odonates a little bit in college, so I decided to tackle them first, since my prior experience should make them easiest. I'd separated out the odonates (an order which includes both dragonflies and damselflies) but quickly realized that I had to use SEPARATE keys for the two types of critter.

So I took a minute to start divvying up the dragonflies from the damselflies. About halfway through the process, I looked at what I'd done and began to giggle madly.

I expected one of the jars to turn on the other, attack it, and drag it off to its lair, toasting a few knights on the way. Sorting them with the jars so close seemed... unhealthy, for everyone concerned.

Then, later on, I was looking into some scientific names on the computer. I found a couple of articles listing real scientific names that were bestowed by scientists with a sense of humor. Given all the bone-dry journal articles I've read, it's nice to know these guys are out there.... and handing out names like:

Pthiria relativitae (alas, reclassified as Poecilognathus relativitae)

Abra cadabra (also reclassified - not because the name was silly, but for taxonomic reasons!)

Apopyllus now

Ba humbugi

Gluteus minimus

Heerz tooya (and the generically-related Heerz lukenatcha)

Kamera lens

La cucaracha

Pison eu

Ytu brutus

Vini vidivici

Dissop irae (the name of a hard-to-see fossil animal)

Agra vation

Verae peculya

Ninjameys sp. (A fossil turtle - yes, named for our four heroes!)

Aha ha

Reissa roni

Villa manillae

Leonardo davanci

So amused. So very amused.

I ALMOST MISSED IT.

But you will not escape, durodragon. Happy Belated Birthday! <3 <3 <3