{"id":44191,"date":"2024-11-28T19:29:02","date_gmt":"2024-11-28T18:29:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/b24f45bc-3c20-46ae-ba33-ff13b14611b3"},"modified":"2024-11-28T20:27:24","modified_gmt":"2024-11-28T19:27:24","slug":"chicken-turtle-sarcastic-fringehead-and-pleasing-fungus-beetle-meet-10-animals-with-the-weirdest-names","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/rss_feed\/chicken-turtle-sarcastic-fringehead-and-pleasing-fungus-beetle-meet-10-animals-with-the-weirdest-names\/","title":{"rendered":"Chicken turtle, sarcastic fringehead\u00a0and pleasing fungus beetle\u00a0\u2013 meet 10 animals with the weirdest names"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>

By Charlie Lyon\n <\/p>

Published: Thursday, 28 November 2024 at 18:29 PM<\/p>

\n\n

It’s often the scientific name for an animal that gets us confused and befuddled, with its unfamiliar order of letters and challenging pronunciation.<\/strong><\/p>

Common names tend to be familiar, requiring just common sense to be able to deduce from it information about an animal. White-tailed deer, or barn own, for example.<\/p>

But some common names leave us in a state of wonder, questioning just what exactly was going through the mind of the person creating the moniker.<\/p>

Here are 10 animals with weird, funny or downright silly common names.<\/p>

10 animals with the weirdest names<\/h2>
Chicken turtle<\/h3>

They both lay eggs and have long necks, but aside from that the chicken and the chicken turtle don’t have much in common. Getty Images <\/figcaption> <\/figure>
It may be more common to see a chicken than a chicken turtle (Deirochelys reticularia<\/em>) on your Sunday dinner plate, but people did<\/em> used to eat these reptiles that hail from southeastern\u00a0United States.<\/p>
The chicken turtle is apparently named so because of its long neck and grooved shell that features a network of yellowish lines on a brownish background.<\/p>
Rather than pecking around on dry land for grubs, they love quiet, shallow waters where they’ll dine on crustaceans, tadpoles, fish and aquatic insects and plants.<\/p>

What is a mountain chicken?<\/a><\/strong><\/li> <\/ul>
Sarcastic fringehead<\/h3>
$\"Close$
The sarcastic fringehead is more fearsome than its name suggests. Getty Images <\/figcaption> <\/figure>
No, it’s not the name of Parlophone Records’ new rock band signing. The sarcastic fringehead (Neoclinus blanchardi<\/em>) is a saltwater fish that lives in the mild coastal waters of California and Mexico’s Baja California.<\/p>
The name \u2018fringehead\u2019 is said to refer to the floppy fronds of tissue that fall over the fish\u2019s eyes, while \u2018sarcastic\u2019 is thought either to describe the animal\u2019s cynical closed-mouth expression, or to derive from the Greek word\u00a0sark\u00e1zein<\/em>, which means \u2018to tear flesh\u2019.<\/p>

<\/div> <figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> Watch the sarcastic fringehead fight to defend territory <\/figcaption> <\/figure> And it is a quarrelsome creature of the sea, quite fearless and ready to charge anything that approaches its burrow.<\/p> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Screaming hairy armadillo<\/h3> <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1440\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2024\/11\/Screaming-hairy-armadillo-GettyImages-1160888215-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Close up of a screaming hairy armadillo\" class=\"wp-image-116643\"\/> <figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> This hirsute species of armadillo is more likely to ‘squeal’ or ‘yelp’ than scream. Getty Images <\/figcaption> <\/figure> For something with such a fearsome name, the screaming hairy armadillo (Chaetophractus vellerosus<\/em>) is actually very endearing. The ‘scream’ is more of a yelp, a noise they are prone to make when handled.<\/p> It’s a burrowing animal found in the central and southern parts of\u00a0South America, with more hair than other species of armadillo.<\/p> The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencefocus.com\/nature\/what-is-a-pink-fairy-armadillo\">pink fairy armadillo<\/a>, which almost made this list, also has an impressive amount of fur that lines its rose-hued armour.<\/p> <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/mammals\/are-any-animals-bulletproof\">Are any animals bulletproof?<\/a><\/strong><\/li> <\/ul> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Hellbender<\/h3> <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2121\" height=\"1414\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2024\/11\/Hellbender-GettyImages-865843380.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-116757\"\/> <figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> Hellbender or snot otter: which unfortunate name do you prefer? Getty Images <\/figcaption> <\/figure> There are lots of theories on how Cryptobranchus alleganiensis<\/em>, an amphibious, nocturnal salamander native to North America, got its hellbender name. One is that it’s intent on always returning to hell \u2013 it lives under large rocks or boulders that are partially buried in cold, fast-flowing streams.<\/p> It’s also known as the snot otter, because of the mucus it produces through its skin, protection against bacteria and parasites.<\/p> <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/amphibians\/whats-the-largest-largest-amphibian\">What’s the largest amphibian?<\/a><\/strong><\/li> <\/ul> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Pleasing fungus beetle<\/h3> <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2137\" height=\"1403\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2024\/11\/Pleasing-fungus-beetle-GettyImages-1303738162.jpg\" alt=\"Close up of a pleasing fungus beetle\" class=\"wp-image-116667\"\/> <figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> This pleasing fungus beetle, Megalodacne fasciata, can be found in the US. Getty Images <\/figcaption> <\/figure> Whether or not these black-and-orange and black-and-reddish-orange beetles are pleasing to you is completely subjective. However, it’s said that the family name, Erotylidae<\/em>, comes from the Greek word er\u014dtylos, meaning “darling” or “sweetheart”. Other sources say the beetles are ‘pleasing’ as they are harmless to humans.<\/p> One thing is for sure, and that is the “fungus” part of their name comes from their tendency to feed on fungi, such as mushrooms.<\/p> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Red-cheeked cordon-bleu<\/h3> <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2121\" height=\"1414\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2024\/11\/Red-cheeked-cordon-bleu-GettyImages-1208661319.jpg\" alt=\"Close up of a red-cheeked cordon-bleu\" class=\"wp-image-116671\"\/> <figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> This striking species of cordon-bleu is native to Africa. Getty Images <\/figcaption> <\/figure> Don’t fear, just because this beautiful bird’s name features the French words cordon bleu<\/em>, usually used to denote a high standard of cooking, doesn’t mean people like to serve them up for lunch.<\/p> The French term originally related to L’Ordre des Chevaliers du Saint Esprit<\/em>, an exclusive order created by King Henry III, which included royalty. They were awarded with the Cross of the Holy Spirit, which hung from a blue ribbon, and gatherings involved huge banquets.<\/p> The red-cheeked cordon-bleu (Uraeginthus bengalus<\/em>) is named so because of its red cheeks and blue markings on its chest, which resemble the blue ribbon.<\/p> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Proboscis monkey<\/h3> <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2121\" height=\"1414\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2024\/11\/Proboscis-monkey-GettyImages-1486429743.jpg\" alt=\"Close up of a Proboscis monkey\" class=\"wp-image-116673\"\/> <figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> A male Proboscis monkey looks relaxed on a tree, blissfully unaware of its comical nose. Getty images <\/figcaption> <\/figure> As if it’s not bad enough having such a bizarre-looking appearance, people go and name you after your most peculiar feature.<\/p> The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/mammals\/proboscis-monkey\">proboscis monkey<\/a> (Nasalis larvatus<\/em>) has been named after its sizeable nose, which has given it a reputation of being one of the world’s ugliest animals.<\/p> Proboscis translates as long, protruding nose. But, although we<\/em> find it a startling characteristic, in the animal kingdom bigger is better. The outsized organ creates an echo chamber to amplify a call \u2013 useful for intimidating rivals and impressing females.<\/p> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Paradoxical frog<\/h3> <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2121\" height=\"1414\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2024\/11\/Paradoxical-frog-GettyImages-1081630494.jpg\" alt=\"Close up of a paradoxical frog\" class=\"wp-image-116675\"\/> <figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> The paradoxical frog, also known as the shrinking frog. Getty Images <\/figcaption> <\/figure> The paradox here is that the regular-sized frog (Pseudis paradoxa<\/em>) from South America, actually develops from a huge tadpole. Also known as the shrinking frog, in the early stages of its life it can measure up to 27cm long, but then metamorphoses into a frog about one quarter of that size.<\/p> The shrinking could be down to the fact this tadpole grows for longer than other species, and is well-developed when it undergoes metamorphosis. The loss of the tail accounts for loss of length.<\/p> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Yellow crazy ants<\/h3> <figure class=\"wp-block-video\"> <video controls=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2024\/11\/Yellow-crazy-ants-GettyImages-1220695299.mp4\"\/> <figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> Watch yellow crazy ants scurry about their business. Getty Images <\/figcaption> <\/figure> Tawny crazy ants, longhorn crazy ants, yellow crazy ants (Anoplolepis gracilipes<\/em>)… they are all types of ants with unusually long legs and antennae with 12 segments.<\/p> Despite the name, they are not deranged. They are clever enough at breeding to be considered a pest in the US. Their name comes from their erratic movements \u2013 they look for food in a zigzag pattern and will often travel long distances from their nests.<\/p> <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/ant-queens-eat-infected-young-to-stop-deadly-fungus-spreading\">Ant queens eat their own babies then recycle them to make new ones. Here’s why<\/a><\/strong><\/li> <\/ul> <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Striped pyjama squid<\/h3> <figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2024\/11\/Striped-pyjama-squid-GettyImages-471629081-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Close up of a striped pyjama squid\" class=\"wp-image-116681\"\/> <figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> Meet Sepioloidea lineolata, also known as striped pyjama squid or striped dumpling squid. <\/figcaption> <\/figure> No one likes to be seen popping to the shops in their pyjamas, let alone have it leading to a new nickname. Unfortunately for the striped pyjama <a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/marine-animals\/squid-vs-octopus\">squid<\/a> (Sepioloidea lineolata<\/em>), its unshapely body and striped colourings have caused its nightware-inspired name.<\/p> It lives in the sand and mud habitats of shallow coastal waters in Australia.<\/p> <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/marine-animals\/flying-squid-can-squid-really-fly\">There’s a flying squid? Yes some squid really can fly – Here’s how and why<\/a><\/strong><\/li> <li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/marine-animals\/what-is-a-cephalopod\">What is a cephalopod?<\/strong><\/a><\/li> <\/ul> Discover more<\/strong><\/p> <ul class=\"wp-block-list\"> <li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/animals-who-sound-like-their-names\">10 animals who sound like their names<\/strong><\/a><\/li> <li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/10-animals-with-the-wrong-names\">10 animals with the wrong names<\/strong><\/a><\/li> <li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/rude-animals\">Rude animal names: Try saying these to an under-10 without making them snigger<\/a><\/strong><\/li> <\/ul> <\/body><\/html>\n<hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator\"\/>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"By Charlie Lyon Published: Thursday, 28 November 2024 at 18:29 PM It’s often the scientific name for an animal that gets us confused and befuddled, with its unfamiliar order of letters and challenging pronunciation. Common names tend to be familiar, requiring just common sense to be able to deduce from it information about an animal. 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