• Question: what are the names of the squid like creatures

    Asked by nerdfalcon101 to Anthea on 14 Nov 2014.
    • Photo: Anthea Lacchia

      Anthea Lacchia answered on 14 Nov 2014:

      Hi there! They each get a different name depending on what genus and species they belong to. For example: Reticuloceras subreticulatum, Baschkirites ornatum, Vallites henkei, Phillipsoceras circumplicatile. They can be difficult to pronounce sometimes! If you have a new species or genus you can name it whatever you like. For example: some scientists named a 300 million year old ambhibian Fedexia strieglei as a gesture in honour of the FedEx shipping company!
      Here’s a good article on naming species:
      http://voices.nationalgeographic.com/2011/04/01/weird-wild-animals-names/

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