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Thread: Real animals named after mythological creatures

  1. #1
    Stegodon kk fusion's avatar
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    Default Real animals named after mythological creatures

    There's the vampire, there's the devil, and I've recently discovered the basilisk.

    Any other?

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Real animals named after mythological creatures

    Komodo dragon, obviously.

  3. #3
    my god, he's full of stars... OneCentStamp's avatar
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    Default Re: Real animals named after mythological creatures

    "You laugh at me because I'm different; I laugh at you because I'm on nitrous."

    find me at Goodreads

  4. #4
    Elen síla lumenn' omentielvo What Exit?'s avatar
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    Default Re: Real animals named after mythological creatures

    There is a hydra .

    Hydra are named after the nine-headed sea snake of Greek mythology and are freshwater relatives of corals, sea anemones and jellyfish. All are members of a primitive phylum, the Cnidaria, and share in common stinging tentacles and a radially symmetrical body plan. The gut of cnidarians has only one opening and is termed the gastrovascular cavity. Unlike more complex animals, cnidarians are designed around 2 sheets of tissue: the ectoderm, lining the exterior; and the endoderm, lining the gastrovascular cavity. The two are separated by a gelatinous partition named the mesoglea. This layer is greatly expanded in jellyfish, but is much reduced in hydra.

  5. #5
    The Queen Zuul's avatar
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    Default Re: Real animals named after mythological creatures

    The chimaera.
    So now they are just dirt-covered English people in fur pelts with credit cards.

  6. #6
    my god, he's full of stars... OneCentStamp's avatar
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    Default Re: Real animals named after mythological creatures

    The Sphynx. Ewwwww.
    "You laugh at me because I'm different; I laugh at you because I'm on nitrous."

    find me at Goodreads

  7. #7
    Elen síla lumenn' omentielvo What Exit?'s avatar
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    Default Re: Real animals named after mythological creatures

    Amazing that I overlooked this one initially.

    I give you the Hobbits of Flores or Homo floresiensis

  8. #8
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    Default Re: Real animals named after mythological creatures

    Salamander? Not quite a case of a real animal being named after a mythological creature, I don't think, but there is a distinction between the real salamander and the legendary one.

  9. #9
    Oliphaunt
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    Default Re: Real animals named after mythological creatures

    Harpy Eagles.


    I can't figure out if Griffon Vultures are named after the mythological gryphon.

  10. #10
    Elephant
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    Default Re: Real animals named after mythological creatures

    In Japanese, the Kirin is traditionally a mythological beast that looks like this. This is also the creature on cans of Kirin Beer.

    After exposure to the west, however, the name was applied to the more familiar real-life creature that looks like this.
    No cage, thank you. I'm a human being.

  11. #11
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    Default Re: Real animals named after mythological creatures

    Quote Originally posted by OneCentStamp
    Jungle nymph, no less! I can't tell you how disappointed I was when I saw the picture. That is NOT what I think of when I read the words "jungle nymph."

    Ah, that's more like it!

  12. #12
    Stegodon
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    Default Re: Real animals named after mythological creatures

    Surprised nobody said 'Jesus Lizard'
    Pirate profiles: here

    Setup thread: here

  13. #13
    Stegodon
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    Default Re: Real animals named after mythological creatures

    There is a breed of small dog called a Brussels gryphon.

  14. #14
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    Default Re: Real animals named after mythological creatures

    Quote Originally posted by Mangetout
    Surprised nobody said 'Jesus Lizard'
    [atheist theology geek]

    That's rank Arianism! Jesus isn't a fictional creature, he's a fictional creator!

    [/atheist theology geek]

  15. #15
    Stegodon
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    Default Re: Real animals named after mythological creatures

    Pirate profiles: here

    Setup thread: here

  16. #16
    Mi parolas esperanton malbone Trojan Man's avatar
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    Default

    Echidna.

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