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Most of the time, when scientists come up with the names of animals, they include in the name some information about the animal’s looks or behavior or another thing characteristic of them. But sometimes scientists let their imaginations run wild and come up with funny sounding names or names that have nothing to do with reality. 

For example, let’s have a look at guinea pigs. These cute little fellas come from the same group as beavers, squirrels, and hamsters. Natives of South America, they have nothing to do with either the country of Guinea or pigs, and yet, this is the name they are known by in daily life. In some countries they are called “sea pigs,” which makes even less sense. 

But if you thought this was a funny animal name, wait until you meet the fried egg jellyfish and tasselled wobbegong. While the first sounds like the person in charge of naming it was hungry at the time, the second one could have easily come down from the pages of a Lewis Carroll story. To be fair to the scientists though, very often those weird names are very much justified by nature’s creativity. What else are you supposed to call a screaming hairy armadillo if it’s… well, hairy, and also screams when you touch it.

Another thing you will often find scientists doing is creating long animal names. The longest one presently recorded belongs to the soldier fly. Its scientific Latin name, although only two words long, consists of 42 letters. 

In this article we have collected animals with funny names. What other funny animal names have you heard that made you chuckle?

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#12

Hummingbird Hawk-Moth

Hummingbird Hawk-Moth next to a pink flower

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Phineas T
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

These are actually named very well! These moths are all over the Southwest and they sound and look very similar to a hummingbird in flight!

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#20

Humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa

Humuhumunukunukuāpuaʻa swimming underwater

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Solange Brault
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This looks like a Hawai'ian word, not something cooked up by scientists. Actually there are several names in this list that are from local people: Axolotl, dik-dik, aye-aye, kakapo, etc.

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#21

Binturong

Binturong gnawing wooden bridge

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DoNotGoGentleIntoThatGoodNight
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If it wasn't for the odd name, my younger self wouldn't have bothered learning about this beautiful creature when I was nose deep in my animal encyclopaedias.

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#24

Thumbelina Horse

Thumbelina Horse on a leash

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Deborah Harris
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sadly she passed away in 2018, she is/was a dwarf miniature brown horse. She stood 43 centimetres (17 in) tall and weighed 26 kilograms (57 lb) and is in the Guinness book of records for the smallest horse xx

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#38

Red Panda

Red Panda crawling on the tree branch

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EvilK
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In my language they are called Golden Pandas. Or Tiny Pandas. Or... and this is my favourite: Cat Bears.

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#49

Whip-Poor-Will

Whip-Poor-Will lying on the rock

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Vix Spiderthrust
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As referenced in various HP Lovecraft stories, in which it is claimed that they gather around the house of a dying person to grab their departing soul.

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#63

Howler Monkey

Howler Monkey on the tree branch

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DennyS (denzoren)
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes, they do howl and you can hear it very far away. At the break of dawn you can hear them howling and trust me if you don't know it's a band of monkeys....it can be quite frightening.

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#77

Italian Three-Toed Skink (Chalcides Chalcides)

Person holding Italian Three-Toed Skink

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#85

Pacu

Pacu swimming underwater

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Stephanie Did It
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I see one in an aquarium eat a whole carrot before it landed on the bottom of the tank! Good thing they're vegetarian!

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#88

Grus Antigone

Two Grus Antigone walking on the field

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Kathryn Baylis
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1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Grus is a constellation that looks like a bird. Not sure where the daughter of Oedipus comes into it, though.

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#103

Zebra Shark (Stegostoma Fasciatum)

Zebra Shark swimming

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Nathaniel
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Stripy shark, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo. Stripy shark, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo. Stripy shark, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo. Stripy shark!

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#105

Oriental Ratsnake (Dhaman)

Oriental Ratsnake between rocks

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Glen MacLeod
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1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If scientists named these wonderful creatures the names would be in Latin. I’m sure they all have Latin names, most of the daily use names are likely from the humans living near them.

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