Species named after Tolkien's works

Many species and even entire genera have been named after elements of J.R.R. Tolkien's legendarium. Some items on the list are junior synonyms, i.e. they were coined for a taxon that had an earlier published name and thus are not official according to the rules of zoological nomenclature. These are marked in the footnotes accordingly.

Species named after Tolkien's works^{[note 1]}
Taxon	Description	Conservation status	Refers to
Aletodon mellon	Ground-dwelling insectivore	Extinct	Sindarin: mellon
Ancalagon minor	Priapulid worm	Extinct	Ancalagon
Ankalagon saurognathus	Carnivorous mammal	Extinct	Ancalagon^{[note 2]}
Anisonchus eowynae Anisonschus athelas^{[note 3]}	Ground-dwelling herbivore	Extinct	Éowyn, Athelas
Anthracosuchus balrogus	Dyrosaurid crocodyliform	Extinct	Balrogs
Arcella gandalfi	Amoeba	Extant	Gandalf
Balinia Oinia^{[note 4]}	Wasp	Extant	Balin, Óin
Balrogia	Wasp	Extant	Balrogs
Beornia	Wasp	Extant	Beorn
Beorn leggi	Tardigrade	Extinct	Beorn
Bofuria	Wasp	Extant	Bofur
Bomburia	Wasp	Extant	Bombur
Borophagus orc^{[note 5]}	Canid	Extinct	Orcs
Bubogonia bombadili	Weasel-like insectivore	Extinct	Tom Bombadil
Claenodon mumak^{[note 6]}	Ungulate mammal	Extinct	Mûmakil
Deltatherium durini	Metatherian	Extinct	Durin
Durinia	Trilobite	Extinct	Durin
Dvalinia	Wasp	Extant	Dwalin
Earendil	Mammal	Extinct	Eärendil
Elachista amrodella^{[note 7]}	Moths	Extant	Amrod
Elachista aredhella	Moth	Extant	Aredhel
Elachista caranthirella	Moth	Extant	Caranthir
Elachista curufinella	Moth	Extant	Curufin
Elachista dagnirella	Moth	Extant	Dagnir
Elachista daeronella	Moth	Extant	Daeron
Elachista diorella	Moth	Extant	Dior
Elachista finarfinella	Moth	Extant	Finarfin
Elachista gildorella	Moth	Extant	Gildor
Elachista indisella	Moth	Extant	Indis
Elachista maglorella	Moth	Extant	Maglor
Elachista miriella	Moth	Extant	Míriel
Elachista turgonella	Moth	Extant	Turgon
Entia	Wasp	Extant	Ents
Fimbrethil ambaronae^{[note 8]}	Mammal	Extinct	Fimbrethil, Ambaróna
Frodospira	Marine gastropod	Extinct	Frodo Baggins
Galaxias gollumoides	Galaxiid fish	Threatened	Gollum^{[note 9]}
Gildoria	Wasp	Extant	Gildor
Spaeleoleptes gimli	Spider	Extant	Gimli
Gollum attenuatus	Shark^{[note 10]}	Extant	Gollum
Gwaihiria	Wasp	Extant	Gwaihir
Homo floresiensis^{[note 11]}	Hominid	Extinct	Hobbits
Legolasia	Wasp	Extant	Legolas
Leucothoe tolkieni	Crustacean	Extant	J.R.R. Tolkien
Litaletes ondolinde	Mammal	Extinct	Ondolindë
Macropsis sauroni	Insect	Imperiled	Sauron
Macrostyphlus frodo	Insect	Extant	Frodo Baggins
Macrostyphlus bilbo	Insect	Extant	Bilbo Baggins
Macrostyphlus gandalf	Insect	Extant	Gandalf
Mimotricentes mirielae^{[note 12]}	Mammal	Extinct	Míriel
Mimatuta morgoth	Mammal	Extinct	Morgoth
Mimatuta minuial	Mammal	Extinct	Sindarin: minuial
Mithrandir	Mammal	Extinct	Mithrandir
Myloplus sauron	Pacu fish	Extant	Sauron^{[note 13]}
Nazgulia	Wasp	Extant	Nazgûl
Oinia ^{[note 14]}	Spider	Extant	Óin
Oxyprimus galadrielae	Mammal	Extinct	Galadriel
Paleotomus radagasti^{[note 15]}	Mammal	Extinct	Radagast
Pericompsus bilbo	Beetle	Extant	Bilbo Baggins^{[note 16]}
Planois smaug	Insect	Extant	Smaug^{[note 17]}
Platymastus palantir	Mammal	Extinct	Palantíri
Protoselene bombadili	Mammal	Extinct	Tom Bombadil
Protungulatum gorgun	Mammal	Extinct	Drúedain: gorgûn
Sauroniops pachytholus	Carnivorous dinosaur	Extinct	Sauron
Smeagol^{[note 18]}	Gastropod	Extant	Sméagol
Smeagolia	Wasp	Extant	Sméagol
Syconycteris hobbit^{[note 19]}	Bat	Extant	Hobbits
Thangorodrim thalion^{[note 20]}	Mammal	Extinct	Thangorodrim, Húrin Thalion
Tinuviel	Mammal	Extinct	Lúthien Tinúviel
Unicauda fimbrethilae	Myxozoan	Extant	Fimbrethil

Notes

↑ This list does not contain all applicable species.
↑ Spelt with a k because the genus Ancalagon was already occupied by Ancalagon minor. The species name saurognathus is Latin for "lizard jaw" but also bears a resemblance to Sauron.
↑ Synonyms for the same species.
↑ Both synonyms for Acrias
↑ Formerly Osteoborus orc.
↑ Synonym for Arctocyon mumak.
↑ According to biologist Lauri Kaila, this species is similar to Elves in that they are inconspicuous and have spread to the western hemisphere.
↑ Synonym of Oxyacodon agapetillus
↑ Because it has large eyes and was found in a swamp.
↑ Commonly known as "gollumshark"
↑ Commonly known as "the Hobbit"
↑ Synonym of Loxolophus hyattianus
↑ For its distinctive mark on a round orange body resembling the Eye of Sauron. Phys.org, 11 June 2024
↑ Synonym for Eskovina clava.
↑ Formerly Niphredil radagasti, referring to Niphredil.
↑ Because it is "short, fat, and has hairy feet".
↑ Because "the specimens of Planois smaug were 'sleeping' in collections for about 60 years, like Tolkiens’ creature, and because of the large size of the insect". EntomologyToday, 23 December 2015.
↑ The only genus in the family Smeagolidae.
↑ Commonly called the 'Hairy-footed Moss Forest Blossom Bat'
↑ Renamed Oxyclaenus pugnax

References

Yanega, Doug. Curious Scientific Names. Retrieved 2010-08-13
Isaak, Mark. Curiosities of Biological Nomenclature: Etymology: Fiction. Updated 2010-08-02. Retrieved 2010-08-12.

[1] This list does not contain all applicable species.

[2] Spelt with a k because the genus Ancalagon was already occupied by Ancalagon minor. The species name saurognathus is Latin for "lizard jaw" but also bears a resemblance to Sauron.

[3] Synonyms for the same species.

[4] Both synonyms for Acrias

[5] Formerly Osteoborus orc.

[6] Synonym for Arctocyon mumak.

[7] According to biologist Lauri Kaila, this species is similar to Elves in that they are inconspicuous and have spread to the western hemisphere.

[8] Synonym of Oxyacodon agapetillus

[9] Because it has large eyes and was found in a swamp.

[10] Commonly known as "gollumshark"

[11] Commonly known as "the Hobbit"

[12] Synonym of Loxolophus hyattianus

[13] For its distinctive mark on a round orange body resembling the Eye of Sauron. Phys.org, 11 June 2024

[14] Synonym for Eskovina clava.

[15] Formerly Niphredil radagasti, referring to Niphredil.

[16] Because it is "short, fat, and has hairy feet".

[17] Because "the specimens of Planois smaug were 'sleeping' in collections for about 60 years, like Tolkiens’ creature, and because of the large size of the insect". EntomologyToday, 23 December 2015.

[18] The only genus in the family Smeagolidae.

[19] Commonly called the 'Hairy-footed Moss Forest Blossom Bat'

[20] Renamed Oxyclaenus pugnax

[note 1]

[note 2]

[note 3]

[note 4]

[note 5]

[note 6]

[note 7]

[note 8]

[note 9]

[note 10]

[note 11]

[note 12]

[note 13]

[note 14]

[note 15]

[note 16]

[note 17]

[note 18]

[note 19]

[note 20]

Notes

See also

References