The scientific name of swordfish, Xiphias gladius, means “sword sword.” That’s a thing you know now. - ThreadSky

whysharksmatter.bsky.social • 11 days ago

The scientific name of swordfish, Xiphias gladius, means “sword sword.”

That’s a thing you know now.

Comments

I absolutely love translating fancy science terms for the schools outreach kids, and watching them realise that ancient scientists were just idiots who had Latin and Greek dictionaries.
"This is a 'chromosome', which means 'coloured thing'. I'm sure you could've done better"
Swordfish is top tier!

tyasmoerti93.bsky.social•10 days ago

Anyway, to your Xiphias gladius I raise you Crocodylus suchus. Croc croc.

tyasmoerti93.bsky.social•11 days ago

I will never recover from this.

jnaslund.bsky.social•10 days ago

A great explanatory scientific name. Conversation from the naming process: "It's a swordfish..."; "What kind of swordfish?"; "Well, It has a nose that looks like a sword..."; "Perfect! Let's name it sworded swordfish then..."

hughjaeger.bsky.social•9 days ago

Had the British public been asked to name it, they would have called the fish "Swordy McSwordface".
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boaty_McBoatface#Naming

ellsa.bsky.social•10 days ago

And striped skunks! Mephitis mephitis means “stinky stinky”.

xenomatt.bsky.social•10 days ago

And yet neither a gladius nor a xiphos looks much like the thing this has on the front, which is clearly a rapier.

We need a do-over!

colindr.bsky.social•10 days ago

Those two swords also make up two thirds of what is often collectively referred to as the sternum. Gladiolus and xiphoid process.

forianfinest.bsky.social•10 days ago

IMO, "Mus musculus" (mouse little mouse) for the house mouse will always reign supreme

happydisciple.bsky.social•11 days ago

Lovely!

In a similar category as the grizzly bear then: its scientific name is Ursus arctos horribilis, or “horrible bear bear”.

🐻 🧸

eriorguez.bsky.social•10 days ago

That's because it is a subspecies of the brown bear, Ursus arctos, the "bear bear".

There is also the common raven, Corvus corax, the "raven raven". Carrion and hooded crows, Corvus corone and Corvus cornix, are BOTH "crow raven".

hughjaeger.bsky.social•9 days ago

Wasn't Corvus Corone in "The Godfather"?

happydisciple.bsky.social•10 days ago

Mus musculus is the “little mouse mouse”, better known as the house mouse.

Systematic naming is a feast of (half-)hidden jokes and puns and/or “it’s late let’s phone it in”

eriorguez.bsky.social•10 days ago

Gotta love how the other musculus is the largest Balaenoptera, hehehe.