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View Full Version : Ompax Spatuloides. Who's heard of this species of fish??



finga
15-10-2010, 06:14 AM
Whilst doing a spot of light reading I came across a species of Australian fish which seemed unusual to say the least.
It was poisonous and had the the head of a platypus (where's TOL??), the body of a mullet and the tail of an eel.
It was discovered in 1872 and officially described and named Ompax Spatuloidesin 1879.

It took until the 1930's for those who should know better that the whole caper was a few yobbo's taking the micky out of someone....a Carl Staiger to be precise.
http://en.academic.ru/dic.nsf/enwiki/1498634

Gees I wished I thought of that practical joke ;D

What other practical jokes have been made??

Should I have put this in the Bilge under the thread Useless facts for today??
If it was I suppose Elma...I mean Mod 5....will move it.

Bye then
Scott :)

SWANY22
15-10-2010, 06:16 PM
hey finga not bad for a usless fact well i just learnt that gandya was nearly the captail of qld but the only reason brisbane got it as the river was deeper as the cargo ships could not get there.and also it is the oldest town in qld.so there you go you learn something new every day.

Little grey men
15-10-2010, 08:20 PM
I wonder if the silly buggers were giggling when they served it up for his tea ?

mod5
15-10-2010, 08:37 PM
Whilst doing a spot of light reading I came across a species of Australian fish which seemed unusual to say the least.
It was poisonous and had the the head of a platypus (where's TOL??), the body of a mullet and the tail of an eel.
It was discovered in 1872 and officially described and named Ompax Spatuloidesin 1879.

It took until the 1930's for those who should know better that the whole caper was a few yobbo's taking the micky out of someone....a Carl Staiger to be precise.
http://en.academic.ru/dic.nsf/enwiki/1498634

Gees I wished I thought of that practical joke ;D

What other practical jokes have been made??

Should I have put this in the Bilge under the thread Useless facts for today??
If it was I suppose Elma...I mean Mod 5....will move it.

Bye then
Scott :)

Boy you write some crap at times ;)

finga
17-10-2010, 06:23 AM
Boy you write some crap at times ;)
And you've just realised this?? ::)
People have even gone to the extent of telling me I'm full of it. :-?