Animals have always been very present in Greek mythology. For example, the name of the fiercest eagle in the world comes from the Greek word harpe , which in mythology was used to describe a flying monster with sharp claws, a woman’s face, and a chicken’s body. We present to you five surprising animal species with mythological names:
‘Argonauta argo’
The first species with a mythological name is a cosmopolitan cephalopod that lives in tropical waters. The female measures 20 centimeters and is provided with eight long arms of which two, very developed, secrete a very fine, translucent spiral shell, in which the eggs are kept. Nothing on the surface, blown away by the wind. The male is up to 20 times smaller and lacks a shell.
His name, Argonaut , refers to the heroes of Greek mythology who traveled in the Argos ship in search of the Golden Fleece.
‘Harpia harpyja’
This is the name of a bird of prey that reaches two meters in wingspan with open wings and almost six kilos in weight, considered the largest predatory bird today . The head is crowned by a very characteristic grayish crest that can be raised at will. Its name comes from the Greek word harpe, which in Greek mythology was used to describe a flying monster with sharp claws, a woman’s face, and a chicken’s body. It lives in the thick tropical forests of South America, through which it moves with surprising agility despite its enormous size. Thanks to its short, round wings and its long tail, which serves as a rudder, the harpy eagle can maneuver through the jungle with great agility . Thus he manages to hunt monkeys, sloths, howlers and other prey among the treetops, with surprising stealth. It is so difficult to see it in action that it is nicknamed the “invisible eagle.”
‘Attacus atlas’
This is the scientific name of the atlas butterfly, a colossal moth native to the jungles of Malaysia that can grow to around 30 centimeters wide by 25 long. Its flight is particularly striking, since its weight makes it difficult for it to stay in the air, which is why it generally glides taking advantage of wind currents. Its name, Attacus , has Cantonese origin and means “serpent’s head”, in reference to the apical extension of the wings, which bears a resemblance to such an ophidian head. The epithet atlas alludes to the great titan of Greek mythology who supports the celestial vault on his shoulders .
‘Dracaena cinnabari’
This mythological name is that of a tree also known as the dragon blood tree, native to the Socotra archipelago (Yemen). It grows naturally between 150 and 1,600 meters of altitude. Normally it reaches more than 3 meters in height, and its crowns form a dense hemisphere like a huge umbrella. The resin is deep red in color, so if you open a crack in the trunk it seems that it “bleeds”. In Greek mythology it is said that Heracles killed Gerion , a monster with three heads and three joined bodies, using an arrow, and that from his blood arose a tree that had red fruits similar to cherries. Everything indicates that this mythological tree is Dracaena cinnabari .
‘Basiliscus plumifron’
Also known as the green basilisk, it is an American lizard that is capable of running on water at 12 kilometers per hour to escape its predators. This feat is possible thanks to membranes on its legs that increase the surface of support on the water. The small green reptile, 80 centimeters long, has a striking crest on its head and back that gives it the appearance of a dragon. Its name comes from a Greek mythological animal, the basilisk, a rooster with four legs, large spiny wings and a serpent’s tail.
