Species named after Tolkien's works
From Tolkien Gateway
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 | Description | Conservation status | Refers to |
---|---|---|---|
Aletodon mellon | Ground-dwelling insectivore | Extinct | Sindarin: mellon |
Ancalagon minor | Priapulid worm | Extinct | Ancalagon |
Ankalagon saurognathus | Carnivorous mammal | Extinct | Ancalagon[note 2] |
Anisonchus eowynae Anisonschus athelas[note 3] |
Ground-dwelling herbivore | Extinct | Éowyn, Athelas |
Anthracosuchus balrogus | Dyrosaurid crocodyliform | Extinct | Balrogs |
Arcella gandalfi | Amoeba | Extant | Gandalf |
Balinia Oinia[note 4] |
Wasp | Extant | Balin, Óin |
Balrogia | Wasp | Extant | Balrogs |
Beornia | Wasp | Extant | Beorn |
Beorn leggi | Tardigrade | Extinct | Beorn |
Bofuria | Wasp | Extant | Bofur |
Bomburia | Wasp | Extant | Bombur |
Borophagus orc[note 5] | Canid | Extinct | Orcs |
Bubogonia bombadili | Weasel-like insectivore | Extinct | Tom Bombadil |
Claenodon mumak[note 6] | Ungulate mammal | Extinct | Mûmakil |
Deltatherium durini | Metatherian | Extinct | Durin |
Durinia | Trilobite | Extinct | Durin |
Dvalinia' | Wasp | Extant | Dwalin |
Earendil | Mammal | Extinct | Eärendil |
Elachista amrodella[note 7] | Moths | Extant | Amrod |
Elachista aredhella | Moth | Extant | Aredhel |
Elachista caranthirella | Moth | Extant | Caranthir |
Elachista curufinella | Moth | Extant | Curufin |
Elachista dagnirella | Moth | Extant | Dagnir |
Elachista daeronella | Moth | Extant | Daeron |
Elachista diorella | Moth | Extant | Dior |
Elachista finarfinella | Moth | Extant | Finarfin |
Elachista gildorella | Moth | Extant | Gildor |
Elachista indisella | Moth | Extant | Indis |
Elachista maglorella | Moth | Extant | Maglor |
Elachista miriella | Moth | Extant | Míriel |
Elachista turgonella | Moth | Extant | Turgon |
Entia | Wasp | Extant | Ents |
Fimbrethil ambaronae[note 8] | Mammal | Extinct | Fimbrethil, Ambaróna |
Frodospira | Marine gastropod | Extinct | Frodo Baggins |
Galaxias gollumoides | Galaxiid fish | Threatened | Gollum[note 9] |
Gildoria | Wasp | Extant | Gildor |
Spaeleoleptes gimli | Spider | Extant | Gimli |
Gollum attenuatus | Shark[note 10] | Extant | Gollum |
Gwaihiria | Wasp | Extant | Gwaihir |
Homo floresiensis[note 11] | Hominid | Extinct | Hobbits |
Legolasia | Wasp | Extant | Legolas |
Leucothoe tolkieni | Crustacean | Extant | J.R.R. Tolkien |
Litaletes ondolinde | Mammal | Extinct | Ondolindë |
Macropsis sauroni | Insect | Imperiled | Sauron |
Macrostyphlus frodo | Insect | Extant | Frodo Baggins |
Macrostyphlus bilbo | Insect | Extant | Bilbo Baggins |
Macrostyphlus gandalf | Insect | Extant | Gandalf |
Mimotricentes mirielae[note 12] | Mammal | Extinct | Míriel |
Mimatuta morgoth | Mammal | Extinct | Morgoth |
Mimatuta minuial | Mammal | Extinct | Sindarin: minuial |
Mithrandir | Mammal | Extinct | Mithrandir |
Nazgulia | Wasp | Extant | Nazgûl |
Oinia [note 13] | Spider | Extant | Óin |
Oxyprimus galadrielae | Mammal | Extinct | Galadriel |
Paleotomus radagasti[note 14] | Mammal | Extinct | Radagast |
Pericompsus bilbo | Beetle | Extant | Bilbo Baggins[note 15] |
Planois smaug | Insect | Extant | Smaug[note 16] |
Platymastus palantir | Mammal | Extinct | Palantíri |
Protoselene bombadili | Mammal | Extinct | Tom Bombadil |
Protungulatum gorgun | Mammal | Extinct | Drúedain: gorgûn |
Sauroniops pachytholus | Carnivorous dinosaur | Extinct | Sauron |
Smeagol[note 17] | Gastropod | Extant | Sméagol |
Smeagolia | Wasp | Extant | Sméagol |
Syconycteris hobbit[note 18] | Bat | Extant | Hobbits |
Thangorodrim thalion[note 19] | Mammal | Extinct | Thangorodrim, Húrin Thalion |
Tinuviel | Mammal | Extinct | Lúthien Tinúviel |
Unicauda fimbrethilae | Myxozoan | Extant | Fimbrethil |
Notes[edit | edit source]
- ↑ This list does not contain all applicable species.
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ Synonyms for the same species.
- ↑ Both synonyms for Acrias
- ↑ Formerly Osteoborus orc.
- ↑ Synonym for Arctocyon mumak.
- ↑ According to biologist Lauri Kaila, this species is similar to Elves in that they are inconspicuous and have spread to the western hemisphere.
- ↑ Synonym of Oxyacodon agapetillus
- ↑ Because it has large eyes and was found in a swamp.
- ↑ Commonly known as "gollumshark"
- ↑ Commonly known as "the Hobbit"
- ↑ Synonym of Loxolophus hyattianus
- ↑ Synonym for Eskovina clava.
- ↑ Formerly Niphredil radagasti, referring to Niphredil.
- ↑ Because it is "short, fat, and has hairy feet".
- ↑ 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.
- ↑ The only genus in the family Smeagolidae.
- ↑ Commonly called the 'Hairy-footed Moss Forest Blossom Bat'
- ↑ Renamed Oxyclaenus pugnax
References[edit | edit source]
- Yanega, Doug. Curious Scientific Names. Retrieved 2010-08-13
- Isaak, Mark. Curiosities of Biological Nomenclature: Etymology: Fiction. Updated 2010-08-02. Retrieved 2010-08-12.