Names that lie

Why 'Ladybugs' aren't ladies and 9 other misleading animal names!

Some animals have commonly been given names that might lead you to believe false things about them. For example, as we all know, guinea pigs are not pigs, sea horses are not horses, and starfish are neither stars nor fish. So, how did these names come to be? While lookalike allegations may justify some, others are simply far-fetched. Is there any truth or reason behind these inaccurate nicknames—like "firefly"? Let’s explore 10 animal names that are, arguably, misnomers.

Let’s start with one of the most far-fetched names on this list. Mountain chickens aren’t birds at all—they’re large frogs. And they don’t live in mountains, either. These frogs are found mostly in the Caribbean, inhabiting lowland rainforests and swamps. A more accurate and realistic name for them is "giant ditch frogs," which refers to their large size and their tendency to dwell near water bodies.

So, how did they get this name? The story goes that locals found the frog’s meat similar in taste and texture to chicken. Yes, this now critically endangered species was once considered a delicacy in local cuisines.

You would think that the red panda is just a smaller, red version of the giant panda. After all, they share cute faces, patches around their eyes, and similar snouts and ears. But you’d be wrong—red pandas are not bears.

Here’s the explanation: The word "panda" is believed to derive from the Nepali word ponya, which refers to animals with claws adapted for eating bamboo. This is the biggest trait red and giant pandas have in common: their heavily bamboo-based diets. Red pandas, sometimes nicknamed "firefoxes," belong to a mammal family of their own and are more closely related to skunks than to giant pandas.

Titmouses aren’t rodents—did you know? Instead, they are songbirds known for their gray or bluish-gray feathers. One of the most common species is the tufted titmouse, and you’ll be pleased to know that the plural form is, indeed, "titmice."

The name "titmouse" comes from Old English, where tit referred to a small creature, and mase was a general term for a bird. Over time, mase became obsolete, and "titmase" was transformed into "titmouse" due to the similarity between the words. Arguably, there’s also some physical resemblance between the gray color and beady, round eyes of both titmice and mice.

Yes, the name "electric eel" is misleading—but not for the reasons you might think. These aquatic animals are indeed capable of generating shocks of electricity, up to ​​860 volts, which they use to stun their prey or defend themselves. However, strictly speaking, they are not eels.

Unlike true eels, which belong to the family Anguillidae, electric eels are part of the knifefish family and are more closely related to catfish. Early European explorers misnamed them based on their elongated, eel-like bodies.

Seahorses are fish, just like salmon or clownfish. Arguably, they look nothing like those species. Instead, for centuries, humans have noticed their resemblance to horses. Seahorses have a distinctive upright swimming posture, elongated heads and necks, and a caudal fin that even resembles a horse’s mane.

Their scientific name, Hippocampus, is borrowed from the Ancient Greek word hippókampos. Interestingly, the term didn’t originally refer to this animal but to a mythological marine creature. In Greek, hippos means "horse," and kampos means "sea monster."

Guinea pigs aren’t pigs—nor are they from Guinea, the West African country. Instead, they are rodents native to South America. By now their name has become synonymous with "experiment subject" because of how frequently they were used in scientific research.

There are a couple of theories behind their misleading name. The "pig" part likely comes from the squealing noises they make, which resemble those of piglets. As for "guinea," it might derive from the British coin of the same name, implying they were sold for its equivalent value. Another theory is that European sailors, associating distant Guinea with anything exotic, mistakenly applied the name to these South American rodents.

The koala is often called a "koala bear," but it’s not a bear at all. European settlers in Australia gave it this name because its round face and fluffy ears reminded them of bear cubs.

Koalas are, in fact, marsupials. Like kangaroos, they carry their young in pouches. The word koala comes from the Dharug language (an Aboriginal language of Australia) and is believed to mean "no water," referring to the koala's ability to survive on eucalyptus leaves with minimal water intake. Did you know? Eucalyptus leaves are low in nutrients and mildly toxic. As a result, koalas have a slow metabolism and sleep up to 20 hours a day.

Fireflies don’t handle fire. They do, however, possess the ability to produce light, a phenomenon called bioluminescence. This light creates the illusion of tiny flames flying through the night. No wonder they have been associated with magic and fascination for centuries.

Despite their name, fireflies aren’t flies—they’re beetles. They produce light through a chemical reaction in their abdomens, which they use to attract mates or communicate. In fact, ​​different firefly species flash in distinct rhythms to help them identify each other.

The first time you hear the term "prairie dogs," you might picture packs of dogs roaming freely across the prairies. In reality, these animals are rodents and belong to the ground squirrel family.

The name is believed to have been given by early European settlers due to their high-pitched sounds. Prairie dogs are capable of producing sophisticated and varied calls to communicate with one another, sometimes sounding like man’s best friend. The "prairie" part of their name comes from their habitat—vast grasslands and prairies across North America. These rodents are expert burrowers and typically live in small family groups called "coteries," where members groom and protect each other.

It’s not only that ladybugs aren’t all female—they aren’t truly bugs, either. Instead, they are a type of beetle. These round and colorful insects have been widely associated with good luck and fortune for centuries. The reason for this has to do with the story behind their nickname.

The name "ladybug" originated in the Middle Ages, when farmers prayed to the Virgin Mary for help with pests in their crops. The beetles, which helped control aphid populations, were called "Our Lady's birds" or "Our Lady's beetles," later shortened to "ladybirds" or "ladybeetles." Over time, much to the frustration of entomologists, this evolved into the popular term "ladybugs."

10 weird historical events that no one has been able to explain (yet)

Image: Walters Art Museum, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Who doesn't like a good mystery? And if the mystery isn’t a work of fiction but the result of a true story, even better! The great unsolved enigmas of history are absolutely fascinating. Some have been solved over time, but there are still many old secrets for which neither scientists nor historians have found an explanation—yet. Time-travel with us as we uncover 10 of the biggest historical mysteries that will probably never be cracked!

Image: Tanner, Henry S., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Bermeja Island is mentioned in navigation texts written by European travelers and appears in cartography from the 16th to 19th centuries. Old maps place it off the north coast of the Yucatán Peninsula; however, multiple searches over the years have yielded no concrete evidence of its existence.

So, what happened to Isla Bermeja? Was it a cartographic error? Did it sink due to a tidal wave? Because of its geopolitical significance, some have even suggested that it was blown up by the CIA! A 2009 study by the Autonomous University of Mexico concluded that Isla Bermeja does not exist today, nor were any traces found at its supposed coordinates. Yet, it will forever remain a mystery that will surely keep many entertained.

Image: Credit: Big Ear Radio Observatory and North American AstroPhysical Observatory (NAAPO)., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

In 1977, Ohio State University’s Big Ear radio telescope, used in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, detected a signal now known as the Wow! signal. While reviewing the data, astronomer Jerry R. Ehman noticed a sequence represented as "6EQUJ5." Baffled by the anomaly, he circled it and wrote "Wow!" in the margins.

The signal lasted 72 seconds and, unfortunately, has never been repeated. To this day, no one can fully explain the phenomenon, although some suggest it may have come from a man-made source. Still, the Wow! signal remains one of the strongest candidates for potential extraterrestrial contact ever detected.

Image: Edward S. Curtis, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

How is it possible for an entire village to vanish without a trace? Believe it or not, this is said to have happened nearly a century ago. According to lore, a small Inuit village in Canada was well known among fur trappers who visited regularly to trade. But in 1930, something very strange supposedly occurred.

A hunter named Joe Labelle claimed he visited the village one day and couldn’t find a single person. Reports said there were guns and food left behind, and even claims that the graves in the cemetery were empty. A thorough investigation, however, found no conclusive evidence of what happened to the villagers. Some witnesses from nearby towns even reported seeing a huge green light. Theories ranged from mass migration to extraterrestrial abductions. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police has since dismissed the case as an urban legend. Some still believe the story to be true.

Image: bbb

We know thousands of shipwreck stories, but this one is quite unique. The MV Joyita, designed to be nearly unsinkable, was found adrift in the South Pacific, practically unharmed, but the crew had disappeared completely.

In October 1955, the American merchant vessel left the port of Apia in Samoa with 16 crew members and 9 passengers bound for the Tokelau Islands. After days without news, a rescue mission was launched. Five weeks later, the Joyita was spotted more than 600 miles west of its intended route. The vessel was partially submerged, and there was no sign of the passengers or crew. Four tons of cargo and all three life rafts were missing. They were never seen again.

Image: Gary Todd from Xinzheng, China, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Do you know where one of the best-preserved mummies was found? Hint: not in Egypt. Xin Zhui, the Marquise of Dai during the Western Han Dynasty in China, was discovered in her tomb at Mawangdui 2,000 years after her death, along with hundreds of valuable documents and artifacts.

What makes this mummy so extraordinary is how well-preserved her body is. Her organs and veins remain intact, and she still has hair and even eyelashes. Scientists analyzed the fluid present in the coffin and discovered it was acidic and contained salt and magnesium. They believe this mysterious liquid may have been responsible for preserving Xin Zhui so well. What they don’t know is whether it was intentionally poured into the coffin or came from the body itself.

Image: Yoichi Okamoto, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The United States has its fair share of presidents who died while in office, but none of our 45 presidents have ever disappeared without a trace. Did you know that this actually happened in The Land Down Under?

Harold Edward Holt was the Prime Minister of Australia from 1966 until his presumed death in 1967. He loved the ocean and spearfishing. During a weekend trip with friends, Holt visited the remote Cheviot Beach to take a swim. Rough sea conditions that day caused him to be swept away by the waves, and he never reappeared. Despite an intensive search, his body was never found, which has given rise to numerous conspiracy theories. Ironically, Australians built the Harold Holt Memorial Swimming Centre in Melbourne in his honor.

Image: FBI, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Many famous criminals have managed to remain unidentified for decades, but the D.B. Cooper case is something else entirely. In 1971, Cooper boarded a flight from Portland to Seattle. Shortly after takeoff, he showed a flight attendant a device he claimed was a bomb and demanded four parachutes and $200,000 in cash.

The crew landed to meet Cooper’s demands in exchange for the passengers and then took off again. As the plane flew over southwestern Washington, Cooper jumped into the cold, rainy night carrying his haul. His whereabouts and true identity were never discovered, although it is likely he didn’t survive the jump. In 1980, some of the ransom money was found near the Columbia River. Although the FBI officially closed the case in 2016, amateur sleuths continue to try to crack it.

Image: Pieter Brueghel the Elder, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Can you imagine an epidemic where the main symptom is uncontrollable dancing? Sounds like science fiction, doesn’t it? Yet this really happened during the Middle Ages. In 1518, a dancing plague struck Strasbourg, Alsace, in what is now France. This strange condition affected up to 400 people, making them dance frantically for weeks. It is said that some even died of heart attacks, exhaustion, or strokes.

Doctors and authorities tried all kinds of measures to stop the spread. They even banned music for a while! To this day, scientists are not certain what caused this bizarre condition: it may have been food poisoning from toxins in the ergot fungus, or perhaps a case of stress-induced mass hysteria.

Image: Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The Voynich manuscript is a codex written roughly 500 years ago in an unknown language and writing system by an anonymous author. Known as Voynichese, the manuscript was named after Wilfrid Voynich, a Polish bibliophile and antiquarian who purchased it in 1912.

Radiocarbon testing has shown that it dates to the early 15th century. Many cryptographers and codebreakers have attempted to decipher its roughly 240 pages without success. The manuscript contains diagrams and illustrations of unknown plants and astrological symbols. Some believe it may be a made-up language, a secret code, a work of fiction, or even a hoax. If you think you can solve this mystery, the Voynich manuscript is available for viewing at Yale University’s Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library.

Image: Bernhard

Similar to the Voynich manuscript, the Phaistos Disc is a fired clay disc believed to have been created during the Bronze Age. It was discovered by an Italian archaeologist in the basement of a palace in Crete, Greece, in 1908.

What makes this disc fascinating is that it contains a mysterious message. Stamped into the clay is a set of signs, forming a text that many scientists have tried to decipher—without success. It is considered an early attempt at printing, a technological innovation that would not become widespread for several centuries. While enthusiasts still hope the enigma can be solved, this is unlikely unless other documents are discovered to provide context.