Some strange names on Sanibel Island

When we look at the sightings of wildlife on Sanibel, we are always amazed at the variety and quantity of critters.  Any given week on Island is a superb opportunity to observe all six classes of animals: mammals, birds, fishes, reptiles, amphibians,and invertebrates (primarily insects).  

In doing so, and taking a moment to do the research, you will find that some of our critters have unusual names.  And though you may be tempted to guess at why they have the proper and common names they do, you might be surprised to find out the real reasons.  They are all special!

 

For example, there is the ubiquitous pig frog.  The pig frog (Rana grylio) is a species  of aquatic frog found in the Southeastern United States from South Carolina to Texas. Some sources also refer to it as the lagoon frog or the southern bullfrog.  Almost entirely aquatic, they are found predominantly on the edges of lakes, or in cypress swamps and marshes that are heavy with vegetation. They are nocturnal.  Their name, however, has really nothing to do with their appearance.  Rather, they are called pig frogs because of their vocalization, not their adorable looks.   Their pig-like grunts can be heard during the warm months of the year.

And then there is the lovely cloudless sulphur butterfly. The cloudless sulphur, Phoebis sennae (Linnaeus), is one of our most common and attractive Florida butterflies and is particularly prominent during its fall southward migration. Its genus name is derived from Phoebe the sister of Apollo, a god of Greek and Roman mythology (Opler & Krizek 1984).

The upper surface of the male is lemon yellow with no markings. The female is yellow or white; outer edges of both wings with irregular black borders; upper fore wing with dark spot in cell. The lower surface of hind wing of both sexes with 2 pink-edged silver spots.

Not everyone realizes it, but there are two kinds of crows across much of the eastern United States.  The Fish Crow found on the Island is one of them.   Looking almost identical to the ubiquitous American Crow, Fish Crows are tough to identify until you learn their nasal calls. And they neither look nor sound like fish, but fish, indeed, is their dinner of choice.  Look for them around bodies of water, usually in flocks and sometimes with American Crows. It is worth nothing, however, that they are supreme generalists, eating just about anything they can find. Fish Crows have expanded their range inland and northward along major river systems in recent decades.

Which brings us to one of favorites on Island, the Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana), commonly known as the North American Opossum, is the only marsupial found in  North America north of Mexico A solitary and nocturnal animal about the size of a domestic cat, and thus the largest opossum, it is a successful opportunist. It is familiar to many North Americans as it is often seen near towns, rummaging through garbage cans, or sadly lying by the road, a victim of traffic.

The Virginia Opossum is the original animal named opossum. The word comes from Algonquian 'wapathemwa' meaning "white animal", not from Greek or Latin, so the plural is opossums. Colloquially, the Virginia Opossum is frequently called simply possum.

We would love to know what you consider to be Sanibel's most unusual critters!