# A Taxonomy of Plastic Bread Clips **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 26, 2011, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-taxonomy-of-plastic-bread-clips/597679 "2011-09-26T18:05:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2011, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-taxonomy-of-plastic-bread-clips/597679/1 "2011-09-26T18:05:08Z")
Apparently a group of doctors got tired of finding plastic bread clips lodged in colons, the clips having been swallowed. To raise awareness, they wrote an article on the taxonomy of bread clips. On the serious side, they’re asking for input from other doctors to determine which bread clips are safer when swallowed. On the less serious side, damn. The genus is _Occlupanidae_. As an example, distinguishing features of species _archignatha_ are: > [@](#): > > Lack dentition in the oral groove. They range in size from 22 mm to over 43 mm. They are most commonly found in bulk food stores in unbagged clusters. Some possess lateral palps. My hat’s off to Larisa M Lehmer, Bruce D Ragsdale, John Daniel, Edwin Hayashi, and Robert Kvalstad. They could have just labeled them A, B, C, etc., but instead they took the extra effort to be a bit amusing. I hope it gives the article legs and gets them the feedback that they’re asking for. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2011, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-taxonomy-of-plastic-bread-clips/597679/2 "2011-09-26T18:09:16Z")
No link? [Oh, wait.](http://io9.com/5843449/physicians-create-a-taxonomy-of-bread+bag-fasteners-that-have-been-lodged-in-peoples-colons) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2011, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-taxonomy-of-plastic-bread-clips/597679/3 "2011-09-26T18:51:00Z")
Several years ago I found a fascinating and hilarious article in a Connecticut newspaper on the taxonomy of plastic coffee cup lids. This ISN’T it, but it gives the idea. Without the humor. > **[Inventory / Peel, Pucker, Pinch, Puncture | Louise Harpman & Scott Specht](https://www.cabinetmagazine.org/issues/19/harpman_specht.php)** > > The efflorescence of American drink-through lids ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2011, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-taxonomy-of-plastic-bread-clips/597679/4 "2011-09-26T19:00:16Z")
Intended to pinch a loaf, it would appear at times their effect is just the opposite. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2011, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-taxonomy-of-plastic-bread-clips/597679/5 "2011-09-26T19:03:31Z")
That is absolutely hysterical, I can’t wait to show this to mrAru =) ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2011, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-taxonomy-of-plastic-bread-clips/597679/6 "2011-09-26T19:08:38Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > Intended to pinch a loaf, it would appear at times their effect is just the opposite. Ouch! That is a horrible pun. 🙂 Sorry I forgot the link. I found a blog post and a link to the article (which is gated, except for the abstract) [here](http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/discoblog/2011/09/23/after-one-colon-embedded-bread-clip-too-many-doctors-provide-design-analysis-call-for-reform/). ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2011, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-taxonomy-of-plastic-bread-clips/597679/7 "2011-09-26T19:18:44Z")
The stomatocardia reminds me of the advanced suture patterns on some fossil ammenoid cephalopods. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2011, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-taxonomy-of-plastic-bread-clips/597679/8 "2011-09-26T19:42:42Z")
I’m curious as to whether a _proto-archignatha_ form has been postulated. It is possible that one has already been described as a member of another genus. [According to wiki:](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bread_clip) > [@](#): > > The bread clip was invented by Floyd G. Paxton and manufactured by the Kwik Lok Corporation based in Yakima, Washington with manufacturing plants in Yakima and New Haven, Indiana. As far as Kwik Lok is concerned, both their corporation and the bread clips they make share the same name. Although wiki states that he carved the first one out of a credit card with a pen knife, I would not consider credit cards to be taxonomically related. Perhaps the [circlip](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circlip) is the ur-form.