back to article 'Spongiforma squarepantsii' lifeform found in Borneo

Boffins have discovered a strange new type of spongy mushroom in the island rainforests of Borneo and decided to name it Spongiforma squarepantsii in homage to the well-known American cartoon featuring a talking sponge who lives under the sea. S squarepantsii was found by Professor Dennis Desjardin last year, and is a novel …

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  1. Trollslayer
    Joke

    A deadly combination

    El Reg and boffins!

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Does it make good eatin'?

    Dried, it could be a ready made kids' breakfast cereal. Mustiness might be a deal breaker though

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      "a ready made kids' breakfast cereal"

      needs to be covered in chocolate first though

  3. Hayden Clark Silver badge
    Happy

    Pictures or ....

    .. well it did :-). Here they are: http://www.sciencenewsblog.com/blog/615112

    1. Pirate Dave Silver badge
      Pirate

      looks more like

      Spongebob's brain than it does Spongebob.

  4. Barney Carroll
    Trollface

    Professors, cognitive dissonance, imagination, humour

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

    It turns out that spongy, springy marine organisms had a huge precedent in marine biology prior to the cartoon — and most people would recognise that the cartoon is in fact based on said organisms.

    There have been various initiatives for school children to establish the formal names for new species — and knowing this you might think these people were trying to emulate a child's eye view of the world — but they are usually far more imaginative.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Yes, yes we can all look at Wikipedia

      But TFA refers to a new species of fungi not a sponge. It just looks like one, particularly the one in the cartoon.

      1. frank ly

        But, But...

        It's not rectangular!

        1. Toastan Buttar
          Unhappy

          Not rectangular

          And doesn't wear a huge pair of Y-Fronts.

      2. Barney Carroll
        Trollface

        Pertinence

        That's a pertinent aspect of the organism which differentiates it from literal sponges and/or cartoon characters. Pertinent enough to be reflected in said organism's name perhaps?

  5. Southern
    Happy

    Mushroom Hunters

    That's a career choice I'd love to have been told about when I was 15...

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Unhappy

      Your mileage may vary.

      My supervisor insisted on names referring either to features ("large jaw", "stripey", etc) or to finding location. Not even tributes to relevant or irrelevant people [like him] were allowed. Pfff.

      Stupid Victoria cyclids.

  6. Metal Marv
    Coat

    I'm Disappointed....

    ...That they didn't find it living in a Pineapple under the sea.

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Pint

    I miss the 'badgers' icon :(

    Did they come up with the name after sampling a few of them, purely for research purposes?

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Who lives under a tree in Borneo?

    Spongiforma squarepantsii

    Hmm, doesn't scan.

    1. Trevor 7
      Happy

      Who lives in Borneo under a tree ...

      Spongiforma squarepantsii

      There you go just read the two i as a long E

  9. Joe User

    Re: Who lives under a tree in Borneo?

    Who lives in Borneo under a tree?

    Spongiforma squarepantsii!

    Absorbent and orange and porous is he.

    Spongiforma squarepantsii!

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Who lives under a tree in Borneo?

      Who lives in Borneo under a tree?

      Spongiforma squarepantsii!

      Absorbent and orange and porous is he.

      Spongiforma squarepantsii!

      Youngest leader of the Tory Party!

      Spongiforma squarepantsii!

      (Well, it rhymes)

  10. Mediocrates
    Facepalm

    Department of Redundancy Department

    "hollow holes"

  11. MrT

    What next...?

    TMNsis turtlii - a green fungus that is harder on one side than another - favoured by rats.

    Polyporous loganii - a blue and yellow fungus that has hidden barbs which stick out when squeezed

    Did they eat an earlier discovery before watching Cartoon Network? Just wait for a bunch of Ben10 mushrooms soon.

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