Dinohyus Holland
This prehistoric animal’s name is Latin for ‘Holland is a terrible pig,’ referring to W.J. Holland, who was director of the Carnegie Museum where the animal got its name. His students and staff absolutely hated him for stealing credit for their work.
Centropyge Narcosis
When scientist Richard Pyle went diving in search of a rare angel fish that had defied capture. he experienced nitrogen narcosis when resurfacing. This is a side effect from scuba diving that comes from decompression when coming up and it causes sleepiness and forgetfulness. He forgot the most important thing, he had collected the fish during the dive. Finding this hilarious, they named it after the sickness.
Heikea Japonica
This crab is named after legendary Japanese warriors who were defeated in a sea battle in 1185 by a rival clan. Legend has it that the crabs themselves are the spirits of the dead Heike soldiers who died in the waters. The markings on the crabs strongly resemble the intense scowl which Japanese fighters are portrayed as having.
Vini VidiVici
Ytu Brutus
Ytu brutus is a Brazilian water beetle. The name derives from what is popularly attributed as Julius Caesar’s last words (see Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar as an example): “Et tu, Brute?” Literally, this translates as “And you, Brutus?” In Spanish “Y tu” means “and you.” Hence, Ytu brutu
