Species named after Tolkien's works: Difference between revisions

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Many '''species''' and even entire [[wikipedia:Genus|genera]] have been named after elements of [[J.R.R. Tolkien|J.R.R. Tolkien's]] [[legendarium]]. Some items on the list are ''junior synonyms'', i.e. they were coined for a [[wikipedia:Taxon|taxon]] that had an earlier published name and thus are not official according to the rules of [[wikipedia:Zoological nomenclature|zoological nomenclature]]. These are marked in the footnotes accordingly.
In the field of biology, several '''species''' have been named after creatures, people and places in [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]'s [[legendarium]]. Many of these were coined by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leigh_Van_Valen Leigh van Valen].


* ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homo_floresiensis Homo floresiensis]'' is an extinct hominin species nicknamed 'the [[Hobbits|Hobbit]]' because of its size.
{|
* Leucothoe [[tolkien]]i G. Vinogradov, 1990  (amphipod)[Vinogradov, G. M. 1990. Trudy instituta okeanologii AN SSSR (Transactions of the Inst. of Oceanology of the USSR Academy of Science) 124: 27-104 (in Russian).]
| Taxon
* Aletodon [[mellon]] (Van Valen, 1978) (Paleocene mammal) after [[Sindarin]] for "friend," was the password into [[Moria]].
| Refers to
* [[Ancalagon]] Conway Morris, 1977 (Cambrian priapulid)
|-
* Ankalagon Van Valen, 1980 (Paleocene mesonychid mammal) Renamed from [[Ancalagon]] because it was preoccupied.
| ''Aletodon mellon''
* Anisonchus [[eowyn]]ae Van Valen, 1978 (Paleocene mammal, synonym of A. [[athelas]] Van Valen 1978) for the Princess of [[Rohan]]. "[[Athelas]]" was a Middle Earth healing plant.
| [[Quenya]]: ''[[mellon]]''
* [[Bombur]]ia Van Valen, 1978 (Paleocene mammal)
|-
* Bubogonia [[Tom Bombadil|bombadil]]i and Protoselene bombadili (Van Valen, 1978) (Paleocene mammals)
| ''Ancalagon minor''  
* Claenodon [[Mûmak|mumak]] (Van Valen, 1978) (Paleocene mammal)
| [[Ancalagon]]
* Deltatherium [[durin]]i Van Valen, 1978 (Paleocene mammal)
|-
* [[Earendil]] Van Valen, 1978 (Paleocene mammal, synonym of Mimatuta Van Valen, 1978)
| ''Ankalagon saurognathus''
* Elachista [[amrod]]ella, E. [[aredhel]]la, E. [[caranthir]]ella, E. [[curufin]]ella, E. [[daeron]]ella, E. [[dior]]ella, E. [[finarfin]]ella, E. [[gildor]]ella, E. [[indis]]ella, E. [[maglor]]ella, E. [[miriel]]la, E. [[turgon]]ella (Kaila 1999) (moths) Named after elves from Tolkien. Kaila mentions that Elves "one after other sailed over the water to the West, and were later difficult to see with human eyes," alluding to the studied moths, which are very inconspicuous and have spread to Nearctic areas. [Acta Zool. Fennica 211]
| [[Ancalagon]]<ref group="note">Spelt with a ''k'' because the genus ''Ancalagon'' was already occupied by ''Ancalagon minor''. The species name ''saurognathus'' is Latin for "lizard jaw" but also bears a resemblance to [[Sauron]].</ref>
* [[Fimbrethil]] [[ambarona]]e Van Valen, 1978 (Paleocene mammal, synonym of Oxyacodon agapetillus (Cope 1884))
|-
* [[Frodo]]spira Wagner 1999 (Silurian gastropod) [Am. Malacological Bull. 15:1-31]
| ''Anisonchus eowynae''<br>''Anisonschus athelas''<ref group="note">Synonyms for the same species.</ref>
* Galaxias [[gollum]]oides (fresh-water fish) because it has large eyes and was found in a swamp.
| [[Éowyn]] and [[Athelas]]
* Gollum Compagno, 1973 (catshark)
|-
* Gollumjapyx [[smeagol]] (dipluran hexapod)
|  ''Anthracosuchus balrogus''
* [[Gwaihir]]ia Nauman (diapriid wasp)
[[Balrogs]]
* Litaletes [[ondolinde]] Van Valen, 1978 (Paleocene mammal)
|-
* Macrostyphlus frodo Morrone, 1994 (Andean weevil)
| ''Arcella gandalfi''
* Macrostyphlus [[gandalf]] Morrone, 1994 (Andean weevil) [This and M. frodo are from American Museum Novitates 3104: 1-63.]
| [[Gandalf]]
* Mimotricentes mirielae Van Valen, 1978 (Paleocene mammal, synonym of Loxolophus hyattianus (Cope, 1885))
|-
* Mimatuta [[morgoth]] Van Valen, 1978 (Paleocene mammal)
| ''Balinia''
* Mimatuta [[minuial]] Van Valen, 1978 (Paleocene mammal) "minuial" is Elvish for dawn's twilight.
| [[Balin]]
* [[Mithrandir]] Van Valen, 1978 (Paleocene mammal) one of the names of the wizard [[Gandalf]].
|-
* [[Niphredil]] [[radagast]]i Van Valen, 1978 (Paleocene mammal, now in genus Paleotomus)
| ''Balrogia''
* Osteoborus [[orc]] Webb, 1969 (Pliocene canid)
| [[Balrogs]]
* Oxyprimus [[galadriel]]ae Van Valen, 1978 (arctocyonid Paleocene mammal)
|-
* Pericompsus [[bilbo]] Erwin (carabid) So called because "it was short, fat, and had hairy feet."
| ''Beornia''
* Platymastus [[palantir]] Van Valen, 1978 (Paleocene mammal)
| [[Beorn]]
* Protungulatum [[gorgûn|gorgun]] Van Valen, 1978 (Paleocene mammal) "gorgûn" is a term for [[Orcs]].
|-
* Smeagol Climo, 1980 (gastropod, family Smeagolidae)
| ''Beorn leggi''
* Smeagolia Hedqvist, 1973 (pteromalid wasp)
| [[Beorn]]
* Syconycteris hobbit (moss-forest blossom bat)
|-
* [[Thangorodrim]] [[thalion]] Van Valen (Paleocene mammal, synonym of Oxyclaenus Cope 1884)
| ''Bofuria''
* [[Tinuviel]] Van Valen (Paleocene mammal)
| [[Bofur]]
|-
| ''Bomburia''
| [[Bombur]]
|-
| ''Borophagus orc''<ref group="note">Formerly ''Osteoborus orc''.</ref>
| [[Orcs]]
|-
| ''Bubogonia bombadili''
| [[Tom Bombadil]]
|-
| ''Claenodon mumak''
| [[Mûmakil]]
|-
| ''Deltatherium durini''
| [[Durin]]
|-
| ''Durinia''
| [[Durin]]
|-
| ''Dvalinia''
| [[Dwalin]]
|-
| ''Earendil''
| [[Eärendil]]
|-
| ''Elachista amrodella''<ref group="note">Moths of this species are, according to biologist Lauri Kaila, similar to [[Elves]] in that they are inconspicuous and have spread to the western hemisphere.</ref>
| [[Amrod]]
|-
| ''Elachista aredhella''
| [[Aredhel]]
|-
| ''Elachista caranthirella''
| [[Caranthir]]
|-
| ''Elachista curufinella''
| [[Curufin]]
|-
| ''Elachista daeronella''
| [[Daeron]]
|-
| ''Elachista diorella''
| [[Dior]]
|-
| ''Elachista finarfinella''
| [[Finarfin]]
|-
| ''Elachista gildorella''
| [[Gildor|Gildor Inglorion]]
|-
| ''Elachista indisella''
| [[Indis]]
|-
| ''Elachista maglorella''
| [[Maglor]]
|-
| ''Elachista miriella''
| [[Míriel]]
|-
| ''Elachista turgonella''
| [[Turgon]]
|-
| ''Entia''
| [[Ents]]
|-
| ''Fimbrethil ambaronae''<ref group="note">Synonym of [http://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Oxyacodon_agapetillus Oxyacodon agapetillus]</ref>
| [[Fimbrethil]] and [[Ambaróna]]
|-
| ''Frodospira''
| [[Frodo Baggins]]
|-
| ''Galaxias gollumoides''
| [[Gollum]]<ref group="note">Because it has large eyes and was found in a swamp.</ref>
|-
| ''Gildoria''
| [[Gildor]]
|-
| ''Gimlia''
| [[Gimli]]
|-
| ''Gollum attenuatus''
| [[Gollum]]
|-
| ''Gollumiella''
| [[Gollum]]
|-
| ''Gollumjapyx smeagol''
| [[Gollum]]
|-
| ''Gwaihiria''
| [[Gwaihir]]
|-
| ''Homo floresiensis''
| Commonly known as '[[Hobbits|the Hobbit]]'
|-
| ''Legolasia''
| [[Legolas]]
|-
| ''Leucothoe tolkieni''
| [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]
|-
| ''Litaletes ondolinde''
| [[Ondolindë]]
|-
| ''Macropsis sauroni''
| [[Sauron]]
|-
| ''Macrostyphlus frodo''
| [[Frodo Baggins]]
|-
| ''Macrostyphlus gandalf''
| [[Gandalf]]
|-
| ''Mimotricentes mirielae''<ref group="note">Synonym of ''Loxolophus hyattianus''</ref>
| [[Míriel]]
|-
| ''Mimatuta morgoth''
| [[Morgoth]]
|-
| ''Mimatuta minuial''
| [[Sindarin]]: ''[[minuial]]''
|-
| ''Mithrandir''
| [[Gandalf|Mithrandir]]
|-
| ''Nazgulia''
| [[Nazgûl]]
|-
| ''Oinia''
| [[Óin]]
|-
| ''Oxyprimus galadrielae''
| [[Galadriel]]
|-
| ''Paleotomus radagasti''<ref group="note">Formerly ''Niphredil radagasti'', referring to [[Niphredil]].</ref>
| [[Radagast]]
|-
| ''Pericompsus bilbo''
| [[Bilbo Baggins]]<ref group="note">Because it is "short, fat, and has hairy feet".</ref>
|-
| ''Planois smaug''
| [[Smaug]]<ref group="note">Because "the specimens of ''Planois smaug'' were 'sleeping' in collections for about 60 years, like Tolkiens’ creature, and because of the large size of the insect". [https://entomologytoday.org/2015/12/23/new-giant-stink-bug-named-after-j-r-r-tolkiens-ancalagon-the-black/ EntomologyToday, 23 December 2015].</ref>
|-
| ''Platymastus palantir''
| ''[[Palantíri]]''
|-
| ''Protoselene bombadili''
| [[Tom Bombadil]]
|-
| ''Protungulatum gorgun''
| [[Drúedain]]: [[gorgûn]]''
|-
| ''Sauroniops pachytholus''
| [[Sauron]]
|-
| ''[http://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Smeagol Smeagol]''<ref group="note">The only genus in the family ''[http://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Smeagolidae Smeagolidae].</ref>
| [[Gollum]]
|-
| ''Smeagolia''
| [[Gollum]]
|-
| ''Syconycteris hobbit''<ref group="note">Commonly called the 'Hairy-footed Moss Forest Blossom Bat'</ref>
| [[Hobbits]]
|-
| ''Thangorodrim thalion''<ref group="note">Synonym of ''Oxyclaenus''</ref>
| [[Thangorodrim]] and [[Húrin Thalion]]
|-
| ''Tinuviel''
| [[Lúthien|Lúthien Tinúviel]]
|}
 
==Notes==
<references group="note" />
 
==References==
* Yanega, Doug. [http://cache.ucr.edu/~heraty/yanega.html Curious Scientific Names]. Retrieved 2010-08-13
* Isaak, Mark. [http://www.curioustaxonomy.net/etym/fiction.html Curiosities of Biological Nomenclature: Etymology: Fiction]. Updated 2010-08-02. Retrieved 2010-08-12.


[[Category:Biology (real-world)]]
[[Category:Biology (real-world)]]

Revision as of 18:23, 5 March 2017

Many species and even entire genera have been named after elements of J.R.R. Tolkien's legendarium. Some items on the list are junior synonyms, i.e. they were coined for a taxon that had an earlier published name and thus are not official according to the rules of zoological nomenclature. These are marked in the footnotes accordingly.

Taxon Refers to
Aletodon mellon Quenya: mellon
Ancalagon minor Ancalagon
Ankalagon saurognathus Ancalagon[note 1]
Anisonchus eowynae
Anisonschus athelas[note 2]
Éowyn and Athelas
Anthracosuchus balrogus Balrogs
Arcella gandalfi Gandalf
Balinia Balin
Balrogia Balrogs
Beornia Beorn
Beorn leggi Beorn
Bofuria Bofur
Bomburia Bombur
Borophagus orc[note 3] Orcs
Bubogonia bombadili Tom Bombadil
Claenodon mumak Mûmakil
Deltatherium durini Durin
Durinia Durin
Dvalinia Dwalin
Earendil Eärendil
Elachista amrodella[note 4] Amrod
Elachista aredhella Aredhel
Elachista caranthirella Caranthir
Elachista curufinella Curufin
Elachista daeronella Daeron
Elachista diorella Dior
Elachista finarfinella Finarfin
Elachista gildorella Gildor Inglorion
Elachista indisella Indis
Elachista maglorella Maglor
Elachista miriella Míriel
Elachista turgonella Turgon
Entia Ents
Fimbrethil ambaronae[note 5] Fimbrethil and Ambaróna
Frodospira Frodo Baggins
Galaxias gollumoides Gollum[note 6]
Gildoria Gildor
Gimlia Gimli
Gollum attenuatus Gollum
Gollumiella Gollum
Gollumjapyx smeagol Gollum
Gwaihiria Gwaihir
Homo floresiensis Commonly known as 'the Hobbit'
Legolasia Legolas
Leucothoe tolkieni J.R.R. Tolkien
Litaletes ondolinde Ondolindë
Macropsis sauroni Sauron
Macrostyphlus frodo Frodo Baggins
Macrostyphlus gandalf Gandalf
Mimotricentes mirielae[note 7] Míriel
Mimatuta morgoth Morgoth
Mimatuta minuial Sindarin: minuial
Mithrandir Mithrandir
Nazgulia Nazgûl
Oinia Óin
Oxyprimus galadrielae Galadriel
Paleotomus radagasti[note 8] Radagast
Pericompsus bilbo Bilbo Baggins[note 9]
Planois smaug Smaug[note 10]
Platymastus palantir Palantíri
Protoselene bombadili Tom Bombadil
Protungulatum gorgun Drúedain: gorgûn
Sauroniops pachytholus Sauron
Smeagol[note 11] Gollum
Smeagolia Gollum
Syconycteris hobbit[note 12] Hobbits
Thangorodrim thalion[note 13] Thangorodrim and Húrin Thalion
Tinuviel Lúthien Tinúviel

Notes

  1. Spelt with a k because the genus Ancalagon was already occupied by Ancalagon minor. The species name saurognathus is Latin for "lizard jaw" but also bears a resemblance to Sauron.
  2. Synonyms for the same species.
  3. Formerly Osteoborus orc.
  4. Moths of this species are, according to biologist Lauri Kaila, similar to Elves in that they are inconspicuous and have spread to the western hemisphere.
  5. Synonym of Oxyacodon agapetillus
  6. Because it has large eyes and was found in a swamp.
  7. Synonym of Loxolophus hyattianus
  8. Formerly Niphredil radagasti, referring to Niphredil.
  9. Because it is "short, fat, and has hairy feet".
  10. Because "the specimens of Planois smaug were 'sleeping' in collections for about 60 years, like Tolkiens’ creature, and because of the large size of the insect". EntomologyToday, 23 December 2015.
  11. The only genus in the family Smeagolidae.
  12. Commonly called the 'Hairy-footed Moss Forest Blossom Bat'
  13. Synonym of Oxyclaenus

References