So are dragons. Unless they don't have front legs, but they they're wyverns.
this post was submitted on 23 Jul 2025
316 points (98.8% liked)
Science Memes
16462 readers
3447 users here now
Welcome to c/science_memes @ Mander.xyz!
A place for majestic STEMLORD peacocking, as well as memes about the realities of working in a lab.
Rules
- Don't throw mud. Behave like an intellectual and remember the human.
- Keep it rooted (on topic).
- No spam.
- Infographics welcome, get schooled.
This is a science community. We use the Dawkins definition of meme.
Research Committee
Other Mander Communities
Science and Research
Biology and Life Sciences
- !abiogenesis@mander.xyz
- !animal-behavior@mander.xyz
- !anthropology@mander.xyz
- !arachnology@mander.xyz
- !balconygardening@slrpnk.net
- !biodiversity@mander.xyz
- !biology@mander.xyz
- !biophysics@mander.xyz
- !botany@mander.xyz
- !ecology@mander.xyz
- !entomology@mander.xyz
- !fermentation@mander.xyz
- !herpetology@mander.xyz
- !houseplants@mander.xyz
- !medicine@mander.xyz
- !microscopy@mander.xyz
- !mycology@mander.xyz
- !nudibranchs@mander.xyz
- !nutrition@mander.xyz
- !palaeoecology@mander.xyz
- !palaeontology@mander.xyz
- !photosynthesis@mander.xyz
- !plantid@mander.xyz
- !plants@mander.xyz
- !reptiles and amphibians@mander.xyz
Physical Sciences
- !astronomy@mander.xyz
- !chemistry@mander.xyz
- !earthscience@mander.xyz
- !geography@mander.xyz
- !geospatial@mander.xyz
- !nuclear@mander.xyz
- !physics@mander.xyz
- !quantum-computing@mander.xyz
- !spectroscopy@mander.xyz
Humanities and Social Sciences
Practical and Applied Sciences
- !exercise-and sports-science@mander.xyz
- !gardening@mander.xyz
- !self sufficiency@mander.xyz
- !soilscience@slrpnk.net
- !terrariums@mander.xyz
- !timelapse@mander.xyz
Memes
Miscellaneous
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
Griffins an a few other mythical creatures would be too. Pegasus may or may not. The original was sired by Poseidon and itself was a god, but its since become a generic name for winged horses so that leaves room for debate.
Yes I do enjoy fiction taxonomy, why do ask?
Angels in most renditions have bird wings (i.e. arms) growing from their backs in addition to normal arms and legs.
B̵̠̿̓̄͋̿͛̃͛̍͘͠Ē̵͎̙̹͖̪̼̖̂̄͆̀̀̆͠ ̸̧̖̪͉̪̘̳̫̝͌͋Ņ̵̟̰͉͖͇̩̾̀̔̌̎̒͜O̷͚̰̩̲͈͗̌̒͒̑͊͐͜͝T̸̢̲̤̥͇̣̙̩͛́ ̵̧̝͉̻̿͆͂̊́̋͑Ą̵͖̻̳̒́͗͒͋̍̓̿̃̍͛F̴͕̝̝̈͆̓͌̀͛̓̈́͝͠Ṛ̴̨͇̲͆̀͛͗̈́͗ͅẠ̵͙̝̦͙͕̦̠͗͒͜͜ͅI̴͎̖̿͛̿̿̐̅͆̄̈́̕͜͠D̸͙̫̼͍̪̣̲̩̋̌͐̐́̀ ̶̹̟̥̑̈̍̕͘
AAAAA HEEEELP I'M COVERED IN EYES
Give them back!
No ms potato
Depends on the wings. If they're back mounted, I'm not sure they count. They don't count for insects. We don't say flies have 8 limbs.
They could be extensions of the scapula. This would make the renditions where pegasus appears to be galloping while flying more accurate.
“Almost all” means that if you pull six-legged animals names outnof a hat you’re nearly guaranteed to find an insect. Doesn’t mean you can’t pull the non-insect first try, and doesn’t mean that centaurs must be insects.
This bias is to biology only found in our experience. What if theres an alien physiology that ruins this argument.
I'd argue centaur world is its own tree of life until proof exists that earth life and centaur world life had a common ancestor.
sigh Okay scientist, you can look at my dragon dick
... For science
"Wait, what's the mould for?"
No alien species counts as an animal taxinomically. A similar extraterrestrial ecosystem would likely result in reclassifications to add planet of greatest ancestral origin. Life seeders would make taxonomy even harder.
Exactly.
They'd still be an arthropod even if they weren't a species of insect. So I guess the question is whether all six-legged arthropods have ovipositors. Sounds likely.
'Almost all' makes me wonder about what the other ones are
Crustaceans, probably.
You mean, “sea bugs?”
Don't most of them have 8 or more limbs?
Yes, most do. The question wasn't about most.
Springtails?
This feels like a targeted attack on parts of booktok. Has there been a counter-offensive, and where is the popcorn?
Convergent evolution is a lie! Don't believe Big Evolution Department!