# Skeletorus and Sparklemuffin

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skeletorus-and-sparklemuffin/714085>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [March 3, 2015, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skeletorus-and-sparklemuffin/714085 "2015-03-03T12:58:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 13\
**Page:** 1

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**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:** [March 3, 2015, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skeletorus-and-sparklemuffin/714085/1 "2015-03-03T12:58:52Z")

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Names for two new species of spiders discovered in Australia

> **[Meet 2 New Spider Species: 'Skeletorus' and 'Sparklemuffin'](https://news.yahoo.com/meet-2-spider-species-skeletorus-sparklemuffin-151321617.html)**
>
> Two gorgeous new species of peacock spiders nicknamed "Skeletorus" and"Sparklemuffin" have been discovered in Australia, according to a new report. The two new species were found in southeast Queensland by Madeline Girard, a graduate student at the...

This is what happens when you don’t teach your budding entomologists enough Latin, Greek, and classic literature.

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**Author:** ![Merneith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/57b2e6/32.png) [@Merneith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merneith)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2015, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skeletorus-and-sparklemuffin/714085/2 "2015-03-03T13:36:25Z")

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You can’t say the names are inaccurate. Here’s an article with a photo of Skeletorus -

> **[Meet 2 New Spider Species: 'Skeletorus' and 'Sparklemuffin'](https://www.livescience.com/49957-new-species-peacock-spiders.html)**
>
> A graduate student studying peacock spiders in Australia discovered two new species of the colorful eight-legged beasts.

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**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:** [March 3, 2015, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skeletorus-and-sparklemuffin/714085/3 "2015-03-03T13:44:23Z")

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> [@Merneith](#):
>
> You can’t say the names are inaccurate. Here’s an article with a photo of Skeletorus -  
> [Meet 2 New Spider Species: 'Skeletorus' and 'Sparklemuffin' | Live Science](http://www.livescience.com/49957-new-species-peacock-spiders.html)

Sez you! That spider looks _NOTHING_ like Skeletor!

[https://search.yahoo.com/search;\_ylt=AuqobCFe405EOzUCx7gQKyKbvZx4?p=Skeletor+images&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8&fr=yfp-t-901&fp=1](https://search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=AuqobCFe405EOzUCx7gQKyKbvZx4?p=Skeletor+images&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8&fr=yfp-t-901&fp=1)

Or, for that matter, a combination of a Skeleton and a Torus

[https://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;\_ylt=AwrB8pJ7uvVU\_24A1COJzbkF;\_ylu=X3oDMTIzZzVkaGRlBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1nBG9pZAM4OTNhNWYwZjk4MGJjNTY1YmZkMWNjZDAyNjBmZWNmMgRncG9zAzIzBGl0A2Jpbmc-?.origin=&back=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3DSkeleton%26fr%3Dyfp-t-901%26tab%3Dorganic%26ri%3D23&w=800&h=800&imgurl=www.massageking.com%2Fimages%2F3262%2F800%2FBudget%2520Bucky%2520Skeleton.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.massageking.com%2Fproducts%2Fskeleton%2FBudget-Bucky-Skeleton%2F2233%2F1%2F1&size=41.9KB&name=about+this+\<b\>skeleton\<%2Fb\>+this+budget+\<b\>skeleton\<%2Fb\>+is+great+for+reference+or+...&p=Skeleton&oid=893a5f0f980bc565bfd1ccd0260fecf2&fr2=&fr=yfp-t-901&tt=about+this+\<b\>skeleton\<%2Fb\>+this+budget+\<b\>skeleton\<%2Fb\>+is+great+for+reference+or+...&b=0&ni=288&no=23&ts=&tab=organic&sigr=12b87ql7p&sigb=12nat4fh9&sigi=1210t9sqn&sigt=12k0cksgb&sign=12k0cksgb&.crumb=iFnxBO8CwGG&fr=yfp-t-901](https://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=AwrB8pJ7uvVU_24A1COJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTIzZzVkaGRlBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1nBG9pZAM4OTNhNWYwZjk4MGJjNTY1YmZkMWNjZDAyNjBmZWNmMgRncG9zAzIzBGl0A2Jpbmc-?.origin=&back=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3DSkeleton%26fr%3Dyfp-t-901%26tab%3Dorganic%26ri%3D23&w=800&h=800&imgurl=www.massageking.com%2Fimages%2F3262%2F800%2FBudget%2520Bucky%2520Skeleton.jpg&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.massageking.com%2Fproducts%2Fskeleton%2FBudget-Bucky-Skeleton%2F2233%2F1%2F1&size=41.9KB&name=about+this+%3Cb%3Eskeleton%3C%2Fb%3E+this+budget+%3Cb%3Eskeleton%3C%2Fb%3E+is+great+for+reference+or+...&p=Skeleton&oid=893a5f0f980bc565bfd1ccd0260fecf2&fr2=&fr=yfp-t-901&tt=about+this+%3Cb%3Eskeleton%3C%2Fb%3E+this+budget+%3Cb%3Eskeleton%3C%2Fb%3E+is+great+for+reference+or+...&b=0&ni=288&no=23&ts=&tab=organic&sigr=12b87ql7p&sigb=12nat4fh9&sigi=1210t9sqn&sigt=12k0cksgb&sign=12k0cksgb&.crumb=iFnxBO8CwGG&fr=yfp-t-901)

> <https://images.search.yahoo.com/images/view;_ylt=AwrB8pqduvVUih8AcQWJzbkF;_ylu=X3oDMTIzNzdjb3FkBHNlYwNzcgRzbGsDaW1nBG9pZANiM2YwMTczZjhlMDNjZjA3ZWRhNDJiYjNmNzNiYmQwNgRncG9zAzI5BGl0A2Jpbmc-?.origin=&back=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.search.yahoo.com%2Fsearch%2Fimages%3Fp%3DTorus%26fr%3Dyfp-t-901%26tab%3Dorganic%26ri%3D29&w=220&h=193&imgurl=upload.wikimedia.org%2Fwikipedia%2Fcommons%2Fthumb%2Fe%2Fec%2FTorus2.png%2F220px-Torus2.png&rurl=http%3A%2F%2Fcs.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FTorus&size=29.7KB&name=%3Cb%3ETorus%3C%2Fb%3E%2Bv%2Btrojrozm%C4%9Brn%C3%A9m%2Bprostoru.&p=Torus&oid=b3f0173f8e03cf07eda42bb3f73bbd06&fr2=&fr=yfp-t-901&tt=%3Cb%3ETorus%3C%2Fb%3E%2Bv%2Btrojrozm%C4%9Brn%C3%A9m%2Bprostoru.&b=0&ni=288&no=29&ts=&tab=organic&sigr=112dd7ne7&sigb=12k8hlmbe&sigi=12dil3rmd&sigt=118dl1fog&sign=118dl1fog&.crumb=iFnxBO8CwGG&fr=yfp-t-901>

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**Author:** ![donkeyoatey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47c2d/32.png) [@donkeyoatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/donkeyoatey)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2015, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skeletorus-and-sparklemuffin/714085/4 "2015-03-03T13:51:56Z")

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They are nicknames for Maratus sceletus and Maratus jactatus.  
Do you have an issue with them being collectively known as “peacock spiders”?

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**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2015, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skeletorus-and-sparklemuffin/714085/5 "2015-03-03T14:34:45Z")

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Sparklemuffin??? Do you think I would have allowed myself to be bit by an fuckig’ ‘sparklemuffin’? I wouldn’t catch bad guys but I’d still climb buildings - only to make your breakfast colorful & sparkleriffic!!! Where’s the ‘shakes head in disgust’ smiley?

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**Author:** ![swampspruce](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampspruce/32/261_2.png) [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2015, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skeletorus-and-sparklemuffin/714085/6 "2015-03-03T15:05:05Z")

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Why is it I hear both those names in Cree Summer’s psychotic little girl voice? Check out Pegasus Abuse on Robot Chicken’s website to see what I mean…

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**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2015, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skeletorus-and-sparklemuffin/714085/7 "2015-03-03T15:12:39Z")

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Actually, Skeletorus and Sparklemuffin are Mary Matalin and James Carville’s pet names for each other.

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**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:** [March 3, 2015, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skeletorus-and-sparklemuffin/714085/8 "2015-03-03T15:20:26Z")

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> [@lieu](#):
>
> Actually, Skeletorus and Sparklemuffin are Mary Matalin and James Carville’s pet names for each other.

Clap, Clap, Clap, Clap!

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**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2015, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skeletorus-and-sparklemuffin/714085/9 "2015-03-03T16:02:01Z")

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Some day I hope to discover a new something - species, star, plant, whatever - and name it “Bob”. OK, as goals go it isn’t much but I like it.

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**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2015, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skeletorus-and-sparklemuffin/714085/10 "2015-03-03T16:17:07Z")

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> [@CalMeacham](#):
>
> This is what happens when you don’t teach your budding entomologists enough Latin, Greek, and classic literature.

I was gonna say, this is what happens when new spiders get discovered on Take Your Daughter To Work Day.

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**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2015, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skeletorus-and-sparklemuffin/714085/11 "2015-03-03T18:23:13Z")

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I thought arachnologists would be the ones to name spiders.

BTW, peacock spiders are awesome.

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**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\
**Post date:** [March 3, 2015, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skeletorus-and-sparklemuffin/714085/12 "2015-03-03T21:32:37Z")

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Discovered in Australia. Because of course they are.

When I hear “peacock” spider, I want to name it Maratus brotasticus. It negs its prey until they just give up.

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**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:** [March 4, 2015, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/skeletorus-and-sparklemuffin/714085/13 "2015-03-04T12:52:41Z")

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As I was shoveling the snow out of the driveway this morning, it occurred to me that I could easily see _Skeletorus and Sparklemuffin_ on the Disney Kids cable lineup.

Computer-animated boy spider Skeletorus and girl spider Sparklemuffin have many adventures together in which they learn socially responsible lessons.

(Including one about not gender stereotyping based upon how cool skeletons are, or how pretty sparklies are.)