| Aha ha | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Insecta |
| Order: | Hymenoptera |
| Family: | Crabronidae |
| Genus: | Aha |
| Species: | A. ha
|
| Binomial name | |
| Aha ha Menke, 1977[1]
| |
| |
| A. ha distribution | |
Aha ha is a species of Australian wasp, named by the entomologist Arnold Menke in 1977 as a joke. Menke described several years after its discovery how, when he received a package from a colleague containing insect specimens, he exclaimed "Aha, a new genus", with fellow entomologist Eric Grissell responding "ha" doubtfully.[2] The name of the insect is commonly found in lists of bizarre scientific names.[3][4] The name was also used as the vehicle registration plate of Menke's car, "AHA HA".[5]
- ^ Menke, Arnold S. (1977). "Aha, a new genus of Australian Sphecidae, and revised key to the world genera of the tribe Miscophini (Hymenoptera, Sphecidae, Larrinae)" (PDF). Polskie Pismo Entomologiczne. 47: 671–681. ISSN 0032-3780. OCLC 457011738.
- ^ Evans, Howard E. (1983). Menke, Arnold S. (ed.). "Tales from the Outback: The Discovery of Aha ha (Sphecidae, Miscophini)" (PDF). Sphecos. 7: 14.
- ^ Doug Yanega (22 July 2022). "Curious Scientific Names". Retrieved 9 December 2022.
- ^ Mark Isaak (6 February 2022). "Wordplay: Long and Short Names". Curiosities of Biological Nomenclature. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
- ^ Arnold S. Menke (1993). "Funny or Curious Zoological Names". Bogus Volumino Negatori Doso: 24–27.