10 Animal Names That Have You Fooled

Some animal names challenge conventional wisdom. From killer whales to Australian shepherds, find out the truth behind these wild misnomers.

By Marisa Sloan
Jun 3, 2023 1:00 PM
Kinkajou sitting on a human hand
(Credit: Piu_Piu/Shutterstock)

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What’s in a name? When it comes to the great white pelican or yellow-footed tortoise, for example, what you expect is just what you’ll get. But some other animals aren’t as lucky — and that can come with consequences.

Research has proven that common names hold a lot of sway over how we view different species, and can even affect whether policies are implemented to protect them. For example, in a 2012 study conducted by George Mason University researchers, 66 percent of respondents deemed the hypothetical “great American wolf” to be more worthy of conservation efforts versus its blander alter-ego, the “Eastern coywolf.”

Sometimes, a moniker is considered so egregious that it is officially changed; in 2021, a moth whose name originally included an ethnic slur was rechristened the “spongy moth” in reference to its fluffy eggs.

And then there are the species whose common names just … don’t seem to fit, for better or worse. Some have led to a fair bit of confusion about the identity of the animal in question — perhaps you’ve even been bamboozled by one or two yourself.

We’re here to set the record straight.

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