[Guest]

There are plenty of long scientific names for animals, insects, birds, etc and there are lots of complicated multi-word names (yellow bellied sap sucker, etc, etc).

However, when it comes to lots of syllables in a single word name, it seems that five syllables is the limit and that there aren't even that many four syllable names?

How many five syllable (or even six) single word animals can you name?

To get you started...

The tropical oceans hold: ba-rra-cu-da

The Americas have the: ar-ma-dill-o

Does Africa hold the bragging rights to the most syllables ?

[Guest]

hippopotamus

[Guest]

Gnathostomulida. gna-tho-sto-to-mu-li-da. Another name for the jaw worm. found in your nearby swamp or pond.

[fabpig]

That can be matched with Acanthocephala

but I THINK Wom is asking for the common names, rather than the scientific (latin) names (Yes Hippoptamus is latin via greek, but it's what everybody calls it)

Edited April 17, 2011 by fabpig

[Guest]

Hi All - as fabpig said, the scientific (latin) names are a dime a dozen but the only 5 syllable one I had was the one GoosRick gave us above. That's why I said that it appears that Africa has the bragging rights.

[fabpig]

Appalachiosaurus:

[Guest]

Haha fabpig - which continent ? pangea ?

[fabpig]

Haha fabpig - which continent ? pangea ?

rodinia

[Molly Mae]

Stork

Quite literaly, one.

Do I lose?

[Guest]

...but the man said "everyone's a winner..."

Only one (african) five so far, but here are some more fours:

cat-er-pill-ar

all-i-gat-or

[Guest]

Rhinoceros is a four letter one.

Speaking of animals, I can think of a 3 syl with a w in it.

It's

Westboro

[Guest]

Must be a {insert country of origin} joke...

[Guest]

salamander

also:

orangutan

we counting yellow-jacket?

I shall find a 5 syllable example.

[dyalDragon]

Tarantula

Anaconda

Coatimundi

[Guest]

tyrannosaurus

[Guest]

tyrannosaurus

Snuffleupagus

[curr3nt]

malashaganay

[fabpig]

Paradoxical frog

[Guest]

malashaganay

Assuming no troll... I don't know what it is - regional name for something?

Edit: since discovered Indian for fresh-water drumfish - n1 cur

So there are some...

I struggled for a few days and failed to find another 5 syllable before I posted.

I had thought of a few dinosaurs but weirdly had overlooked t-rex (& snuffle-upagus)

Edited April 18, 2011 by WombatBreath

[Guest]

Would a Cal-i-forn-i-an be considered as a common name for an animal?

[Guest]

...but the man said "everyone's a winner..."

Only one (african) five so far, but here are some more fours:

cat-er-pill-ar

all-i-gat-or

Alligator is al-li-ga-tor

Ive been learning grammar rules and thats one

[tiger_lily111]

Would a Cal-i-forn-i-an be considered as a common name for an animal?

No. You can't classify fruits, nuts, & flakes as animals even with the governator's accent.

& besides, it's properly spelled Ka-lif-for-ni-an.

[Guest]

hip·po·pot·a·mus - [Africa]

ma·la·sha·ga·nay - [india]

co·a·ti·mun·di - [south America, Central America, southwest United States]

hu·mu·hu·mu·nu·ku·nu·ku·a·pu·a·a [Hawaii]

[Guest]

hip·po·pot·a·mus - [Africa]

ma·la·sha·ga·nay - [india]

co·a·ti·mun·di - [south America, Central America, southwest United States]

hu·mu·hu·mu·nu·ku·nu·ku·a·pu·a·a [Hawaii]

is that a joke i read it and started cracking up

[Guest]

is that a joke i read it and started cracking up

The 12-syllable word humuhumunukunukuāpua'a, also spelled humuhumunukunukuapuaa, is one of the common names for the state fish of Hawaii. Other common names are reef triggerfish, rectangular triggerfish, wedge-tail triggerfish, and humuhuma. The scientific names for the two species of humuhumunukunukuāpua'a are Rhinecanthus rectangulus and Rhinecanthus aculeatus.

The word humuhumunukunukuāpua'a is actually 22 letters long with the counting of the unicameral consant, the 'okina, represented here as an apostrophe as the letter is not a standard letter of the Latin alphabet. The 'okina is used in many Polynesian languages. Nonetheless, with the 21-letter spelling humuhumunukunukuapuaa, the word is still found in some major English dictionaries, e.g., The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language.

[Aaryan]

Xoloitzcuintli. It's a kind of dog.

Barasingha.It is an Indian deer.

Cassowary. A Melanesian bird.

ooh ooh what's my prize? Please be a new "Eggs and Canoes"...