Nutty Nomenclature
All species of organism are given their own specific name by the taxonomist who first describes them. Every now and again the taxonomists allow themselves to have a little bit of fun. This is our guide to some more mischievously named species.
Name: Oedipus complex
Don’t get it? Just hope you don't have it or your parents are in for a nasty shock.
What is it? A type of salamander that doesn't have any lungs, only gills. As if to make up for their lung-lack, they perform very elaborate courtship dances. They're also called Gamboa worm salamanders.
Where’s it found? South and Central America - it's relatively common in Colombia and Panama
When was it first named? 1924 - just 14 years after Freud first coined the phrase.
Who was so quick off the mark? Emmett R. Dunn, a salamanderologist of some renown.
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Is there a picture? We can't find a picture of Oedipus complex, which has actually been renamed Oedipina complex. However, this fellow is an unidentified species of Oedipina, so that's good enough for us. The title image is a species named after the bloke who named Oedipus complex. It's Dunn's salamander.
Incidentally, another close relative of these beasties, the giant palm salamander, holds the record for the greatest burst of power from any animal. It captures fast-moving insects with an explosive tongue thrust that releases over 18,000 watts of power per kilogram. That's about 24 horsepower... with it's tongue. Nifty.
Check out some other strange species names here.
More regulars:
Monday: Phunny Phobias
Wednesday: Doctor Doctor
Thursday: Peculiar Periodicals
Friday: End of week timewasters
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