Aha ha

Aha ha
Scientific classification Edit this 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]

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ Evans, Howard E. (1983). Menke, Arnold S. (ed.). "Tales from the Outback: The Discovery of Aha ha (Sphecidae, Miscophini)" (PDF). Sphecos. 7: 14.
  3. ^ Doug Yanega (22 July 2022). "Curious Scientific Names". Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  4. ^ Mark Isaak (6 February 2022). "Wordplay: Long and Short Names". Curiosities of Biological Nomenclature. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
  5. ^ Arnold S. Menke (1993). "Funny or Curious Zoological Names". Bogus Volumino Negatori Doso: 24–27.