A whale genus called Leviathan

[hamishspence]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leviathan_melvillei

This was only announced a couple of days ago.

Does it sound like a an interesting case of "real life imitating fiction"? since fictional whales called leviathans have been around for a while?

Like the ship-eating toothed while in the D&D Darkwalker on Moonshae book.

[Serpentine]

It wouldn't be the first time science has taken their cue from mythology. See: the planets, Hippocampus (seahorses).

[Frozen_Feet]

Considering myths of Leviathan were likely sparked by whales , it's just coming a full circle, really. If anything, I'm surprised this hasn't happened earlier. Many other species have been named after their mythological counterparts.

[hamishspence]

The news stories I followed the links to did say the finders were big fans of Moby ****, and used that as inspiration.

Unfortunately, it's not absolutely certain that the whale will keep this name- since a mastodon genus was originally given that name last century before being renamed.

Hopefully, it will.

[Serpentine]

In fact, from your own link: "The genus name refers to the biblical Leviathan, and the species epithet honours Herman Melville, author of Moby-**** – the authors of the Nature paper are all fans of the novel and wanted to dedicate their discovery to its author."

So yeah, not so much "real life imitating fiction" as "real life being named after fiction" :smalltongue:

[hamishspence]

Maybe now that a whale called by that name has been discovered, D&D leviathans can be done in 4E to resemble this one? Big teeth, very predatory?

[paddyfool]

Maybe now that a whale called by that name has been discovered, D&D leviathans can be done in 4E to resemble this one? Big teeth, very predatory?

Step 1: Take the stats for a Sperm Whale (http://www.d20srd.org/srd/monsters/whale.htm) (Cachalot Whale, 2nd one down).

Step 2: Apply the Monster of Legend Template. Give it the ability that increases its bite size a category, and maybe some other stuff to do with DR etc.

Step 3: Keep Improved Natural Attack (bite), but swap out Alertness, Toughness, Diehard and Endurance for more toothsome feats... say Power Attack, Snatch, and whatever other two you feel like.

Step 4: Unleash your pet to go eat some ships, krakens, or whatever else it feels like. Laughing maniacally is an option.

[hamishspence]

There's already a 3rd ed Leviathan (Monster Manual 2) I was thinking of 4th ed. Still, in 3rd ed, upgraded cachalot whales will do if MM2 is not available.

Might pinch the "ship killer" rules from the 4th ed Kraken in MM3, and apply them to the Leviathan.

The one in Darkwalker on Moonshae was described as "toothed" but the art in MM2 shows an oversized baleen whale.

Maybe subsequent leviathan art will resemble that for this one?

[Phase]

Eh, I hit my "names from fiction" limit when they discovered Dracorex hogwartsia. That thing just ain't right.

[hamishspence]

There's a theory at the moment that it's not a species in its own right- merely a juvenile Pachycephalosaurus:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dracorex

[Eldan]

You forgot the picture.

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2010/6/30/1277901299026/Artists-impression-of-gia-002.jpg

[hamishspence]

I'm not very experienced at linking pictures- but that one does look good.

Reminds me a bit on Monstro from Pinocchio- only with bigger teeth.

[Phase]

There's a theory at the moment that it's not a species in its own right- merely a juvenile Pachycephalosaurus:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dracorex

Well, yeah, but still.

Anyway if we instantly accepted every theory that a species of dinosaur is just a juvenile form of another, we'd be out of dinosaurs.

[hamishspence]

True- it usually takes a while before a "juvenile species" gets subsumed.

I think it may be happening with Nanotyrannus.

[Fifty-Eyed Fred]

If I recall correctly, 'leviathan' means 'whale' in contemporary Hebrew anyway.

[Phase]

It does, in fact!

Also: Nanotyrannus has been debated as a juvenile for years and years. Paleontologists are a competitive bunch, and the less new species their rivals discover, the more new species they have in comparison.

[deuxhero]

Now, all we need is for ununpentium to ditch its placeholder name.

[Thajocoth]

If you think that's bad... There's a protein strain called Sonic Hedgehog. I kid you not.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonic_hedgehog

The inhibitor of this protein is called Robotnikinin.

[Asta Kask]

Oh yes, fruit flies without it looked a bit like Sonic Hedgehog. There are plenty of proteins with strange names.

[Eldan]

But do you know why it's called Sonic Hedgehog?

Because it works faster than similar proteins.

[Lillith]

You forgot the picture.

http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2010/6/30/1277901299026/Artists-impression-of-gia-002.jpg

OMG IT'S MONSTRO! *screams and runs* No honestly, that whale makes me near tears even when I'm 22 now. (Don't show your kids Pinocchio when their 4, trust me).

Anyways on topic, damn I'm so happy that whale doesn't exist anymore. I wouldn't get a boat no way. Also it says it lived around the same time as the Megalodon. Now imagine those two, living at the same time... in these waters right now... (not thinking about food, water conditions etc.) Scary :smalleek:

[KerfuffleMach2]

But do you know why it's called Sonic Hedgehog?

Because it works faster than similar proteins.

Bah dum ksh!

[Rappy]

Also it says it lived around the same time as the Megalodon.
Indeed, it's an interesting note. It gives a little reconsideration to the hypothesis that competition from toothed whales were the cause of Big Meg's extinction.