Jun 17, 2009

Stumpy

I think I know why this monkey is so upset. It could be that it's got a tooth ache. But more likely it takes umbrage with its name: stump-tailed macaque (Macaca arctoides). Really, stump-tailed? Of all things you could have called it, why go with that? Why not wrath-faced macaque? Why not luxuriantly-coated macaque? Why focus on the one thing it is least proud of?

Personally, I would have named it the 'mulletted macaque', but that would have gotten me eaten. It's best for the safety of me and my family that I'm not in charge of anything taxonomically oriented, especially when it comes to fanged primates.

Thanks for the photo, Will.

Photo by Sebastian Niedlich

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dooooooooooode...

...that is on fuuuuuuuuugly monkey...

carl said...

"Wrath-Face" is totally appropriate. You should be in charge of naming things.

Raging Wombat said...

Thank you, Carl. At least you understand me.

Gunnar said...

I dunno man, I'm kinda partial to the "mulletted macaque" myself. That is one sweeeeeeeeeeeeet mullet.

Anonymous said...

the dirty hobbitses stole the precious and we WANTS it!

Krepta said...

Coming in on this one a little late, but did you know this monkey was almost a beloved cartoon character? The original outlines for the first Ren & Stimpy Show episode showed Stimpy enjoying the animated antics of "Huckleberry Stump-Tailed Macaque". In the final version, though, it was changed to the more euphonious "Muddy Mudskipper."