Ancient Crab named after Michael Jackson

[stoneage]

http://news.yahoo.com/oldest-spider-crabs-discovered-fossil-reef-163725216.html

[tyrantqueen]

http://news.yahoo.com/oldest-spider-crabs-discovered-fossil-reef-163725216.html

I can understand naming new discoveries after famous naturalists or scientists, like Darwin for example.

But I don't get this. What does Michael Jackson have to do with crabs?

[Jetoar]

http://news.yahoo.com/oldest-spider-crabs-discovered-fossil-reef-163725216.html

I can understand naming new discoveries after famous naturalists or scientists, like Darwin for example.

But I don't get this. What does Michael Jackson have to do with crabs?

I dont understand the world  ............

[ajax]

http://news.yahoo.com/oldest-spider-crabs-discovered-fossil-reef-163725216.html

I can understand naming new discoveries after famous naturalists or scientists, like Darwin for example.

But I don't get this. What does Michael Jackson have to do with crabs?

I dont understand the world  .........

How embarassing for the poor old crabs.

[Takama]

Cretures are named after people and Things evean if there not part of the scientific community all the time

Dracorex was named after the Harry potter books

Gorjirasaurus was named after Godzilla

and There is a Lizard Called Obamadon




Also, if you for some chance, find a fossil and it turns out to be something never before seen. The fossil could be named after you

[tyrantqueen]

Cretures are named after people and Things evean if there not part of the scientific community all the time

Dracorex was named after the Harry potter books

Gorjirasaurus was named after Godzilla

and There is a Lizard Called Obamadon




Also, if you for some chance, find a fossil and it turns out to be something never before seen. The fossil could be named after you

I am aware of all of those. I still think it's lame. It's a pointless self-insert.

[Gryphoceratops]

Cretures are named after people and Things evean if there not part of the scientific community all the time

Dracorex was named after the Harry potter books

Gorjirasaurus was named after Godzilla

and There is a Lizard Called Obamadon



Also, if you for some chance, find a fossil and it turns out to be something never before seen. The fossil could be named after you

I am aware of all of those. I still think it's lame. It's a pointless self-insert.

It wasn't a pointless self-insert.  It says it was discovered shortly after Michael Jackson died.  Seems like the scientist who named it, Adiël Klompmaker, was a fan and wanted to honor him.   

There are names given to organisms far more strange than that.  You know what Mastodon means right?  There is also a dinosaur bone (now reassigned to megalosaurus thank goodness) named Scrotum humanum.  Yes, it means exactly what it sounds like.   

[Simon]

Origin of mastodon:

1805–15; < NL < Gk mast(ós) breast + -odṓn -toothed

[Takama]

Scrotum Humanum

[tyrantqueen]

The scrotum humanum was named such because it resembled a human...erm you know what 

What about the crab? Does it resemble Michael Jackson somehow? Maybe it does a mean sideways moonwalk

[Gwangi]

There is also the recently named Beyonce horsefly (Scaptia beyonceae).

This apparently happens pretty often.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_organisms_named_after_famous_people

[Lady medusa]

Scrotum Humanum

This is genius!!!

[Brontozaurus]

There is also a Pleistocene horned turtle that was given the generic name of Ninjemys. I don't even think I need to explain that one.

[SBell]

There is also a Pleistocene horned turtle that was given the generic name of Ninjemys. I don't even think I need to explain that one.

And what about the friend-to-all-children turtle species Sinemys gamera. Another one that requires no explanation (or should. If it does I am very disappointed).

[stoneage]

There is also a Pleistocene horned turtle that was given the generic name of Ninjemys. I don't even think I need to explain that one.

And what about the friend-to-all-children turtle species Sinemys gamera. Another one that requires no explanation (or should. If it does I am very disappointed).

Well in a similar vein there is Gojirasaurus, although it seems rather dubious now.

[SBell]

There is also a Pleistocene horned turtle that was given the generic name of Ninjemys. I don't even think I need to explain that one.

And what about the friend-to-all-children turtle species Sinemys gamera. Another one that requires no explanation (or should. If it does I am very disappointed).

Well in a similar vein there is Gojirasaurus, although it seems rather dubious now.

Yeah, Takama mentioned that one--and I believe it is a nomen dubium. Which is a shame, since it's a great name.

[Brontozaurus]

Another great name lost to scientific practice is the Miocene snake Monthypythonoides. It's in the genus Morelia now.

[Brachiosaurus]

They named a koala parasite after Steve Irwin, I find that offensive

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trypanosoma_irwini

[tyrantqueen]

They named a koala parasite after Steve Irwin, I find that offensive

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trypanosoma_irwini

They probably weren't trying to be intentionally offensive. Most likely it was to honour him, not to make a nasty statement.

[Brachiosaurus]

They named a koala parasite after Steve Irwin, I find that offensive

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trypanosoma_irwini

They probably weren't trying to be intentionally offensive. Most likely it was to honour him, not to make a nasty statement.

I understand, I just think a parasite wasn't the best thing to name someone like him after.