Video games can inspire people in a variety of ways, and some games have inspired scientists to name new species of animals after their characters.
While some think pop culture and science are polar opposites, the two interact more often than people might think. The two can educate each other, with science helping to make believable sci-fi and pop culture icons often used as tools in science education. In addition, the scientific naming of numerous organisms or phenomena has been inspired by all kinds of pop culture, from movies to comics to video games.
Comics in particular have been a great source of inspiration for different names of species and organisms. For example, in 2018 a new carnivorous dinosaur discovered by paleontologists Rafael Delcourt and Fabiano Vidoi Iori was given the scientific name Thanos simonattoi, inspired by the imposing Marvel Comics villain Thanos. Or take the Otocinclus batmani catfish named after DC Comics’ Caped Crusader. However, there are also several animals named after popular video games and video game characters.
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Some real Pokémon
Of course, because the creatures in the series have so many unique designs, Pokemon is one of the simplest pop culture traits that new animals can be named after. While fans regularly name their pets after different Pokémon, it’s not too often that entirely new species are named after Pokémon creatures.
Recently, newly discovered Australian beetles were named after the Legendary Bird Trio in Pokemon. The beetles belong to the genus Binburrum and are designated as three new species. PhD student Yun Hsiao made the discovery that year and, as a Pokemon fan, saw similarities between the Beetles and Articuno, Moltres and Zapdos. Binburrum Articuno is found in South Australia and has a silvery sheen on the back. Binburrum moltres is found in Queensland and has a light golden upper body that turns dark in the lower half. Binburrum zapdos is also found in Queensland and has predominantly black wings and a golden prothorax.
In 2011, scientists discovered a new classification in the wasp genus Stentorceps in Africa. Since the beetle had a spine in its head like no other species, the researchers called it Stentorceps weedlei. The bug-type Pokemon weedle shares the distinguishing feature of a spine in the center of its head, thus inspiring the naming of S. weedlei.
In 2016, Spencer K. Monckton discovered eight new species of bees in Chile and decided to name one after one of Pokemon’s crown jewels, Charizard. The Chilicola Charizard is a polyester bee that is normally found in Chilean mountains and, like the Charizard, has a broad snout, horn-like antennae, and broad hind legs. In addition, Monckton stated that C. charizard’s yellowish markings turn orange after preservation, which was helpful in naming the species.
Pokemon has also inspired various dinosaur names. The prehistoric Bulbasaurus phylloxyron was discovered by Roger MH Smith in 2017 and may not be named explicitly after the popular Pokemon Red and Blue starter, Bulbasaur. Officially, “bulbasaurus” comes from the Latin “bulbus” and refers to the large and bulbous nasal cavities of the fossil. The species name “Phylloxyron” comes from the Greek “Phyllos” and “Xyron” and literally means “blade razor”. Apparently, the real Bulbasaur would have had a razor-sharp palate to cut through any plants it wanted to eat. Regarding the similarities to a particular Grass-type Pokémon, Christian Kammerer, the other researcher responsible for naming B. phylloxyron, noted that “if you wanted to read between the lines about certain similarities, I wouldn’t stop them”.
Another interesting dinosaur is a type of pterosaur, whose name is inspired by the rock and flying type fossil Pokémon Aerodactyl. Originally discovered in the 1850s, this particular specimen of pterosaur is known by many names. When Steven Vidovic and David Martill reviewed the specimen in 2014, they found that it was clear enough to warrant its own genus. This is how the Aerodactylus scolopaciceps was named. While the name means “Windfinger”, it was specially chosen for the Pokemon Aerodactyl. However, other researchers have denied whether the genus Aerodactylus should exist at all, and have cited no real differences from other Pterodactylus species.
Outside of species names, the monster capturing franchise has even inspired scientists to name things like proteins or genes. For example, the retinal protein pikachurin was named after Pokemon’s mascot Pikachu, which can be found on all pages from face masks to key chains to game covers. There is almost no doubt that at some point more new species of animals will be named after Pokemon and other scientific phenomena.
A real galaga
While Pokemon is the biggest pop culture source for new animal names, that doesn’t mean nothing else stands a chance. Even if the gambling halls are going through a rough time, that hasn’t stopped classics like Galaga from being remembered. In 2019, Sue, a volunteer at Chicago’s Field Museum, while searching the sediment found next to the largest Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton ever discovered, discovered tiny shark teeth and was instantly reminded of the triangular spaceships in the arcade title.
The paleontologist Terry Gates finally named the new species of shark Galagadon nordquistae. The genus Galagadon was inspired by the shark’s triangular teeth, and nordquistae was intended to honor the volunteer who originally made the discovery, Karen Nordquist. G. nordquistae was a tiny, flat-headed carpet shark that swam in rivers around what is now South Dakota. As the scientists found, this shark probably swam in the rivers from which “Sue” the T. rex drank.
Right now, video games only have a select number of animals named after them, but scientists are likely to add to the list over time. Comics and celebrities could still be the bigger source of inspiration, be it the Cirrhilabrus Wakanda, a vivid purple fish named after the fictional African land of Wakanda, home to the Black Panther, or something else. Either way, it’s cool to see how video games and pop culture interact with the scientific world.
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Hunter Mass
(111 articles published)
Hunter is a writer, artist, and storyteller with a love for gaming. he she
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