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: Wakiewakie
Don’t get it? Then it's time to smell the coffee.
What is it? A fossil species of rat kangaroo.
Where was it found? South Australia.
When was it first named? 1984
Who deserves the credit? University of California professor, Michael O. Woodburne.
))
Is there a picture? Wakiewakie itself, has been identified from only a few fragments of bone - these do not make for an exciting photograph. So this image (click it to enlarge) is one of Wakiewakie's still-living relatives - the rufous rat-kangaroo. In his paper, Woodburne says that Wakiewakie is an "Onomatopoetic rendition of an early morning cry commonly heard at the field camp..." Sour grapes possibly? Taxonomists have had fun with other rat-kangaroo genera, including Wabularoo, Gumardee and Bulungamaya.
Check out some other weird species names here.
Null's other regular features:
Monday: Phunny Phobias
Wednesday: Doctor Doctor
Thursday: Peculiar Periodicals
Friday: End of week timewasters
Share this
