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: Ochisme, Dolichisme, Elachisme, Florichisme, Isachisme, Marichisme, Nanichisme, Peggichisme, and Polychisme
Don’t get it? Chisme is pronounced "kiss me" - clever eh?
What are they? Shield bugs - little crawly critters also known as stinkbugs.
Where are they found? We're talking about a lot of species here, so there's no definite answer. Most, however, seem to hang around in South America.
When were they first named? 1904 and thereabouts.
Who deserves the credit? British American entomologist George Willis Kirkaldy. In 1912 Kirkaldy was criticised by the Zoological Society of London for his frivolous namings - it had taken them eight years to work out his little joke. Their rebuke was also slightly pointless, Kirkaldy had died two years previously.
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Is there a picture? Well, sort of. This is the excellently named Tetrisia vacca, which Kirkaldy, in what can only have been another fit of frivolity, placed in the genus Dolichisme. Whilst it might not look too exciting to you and I, this bug was recently discovered to have evolved an extremely close relationship with a particular species of ant. 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
Title image: Jesse Therrien
Main image: Waldkircher, Webb and Maschwitz - Tijdschrift voor Entomologie
Main image: Waldkircher, Webb and Maschwitz - Tijdschrift voor Entomologie
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