Old/Obscure Taxonomically Incorrect names for Animals

[Chlidonias]

Emu is apparently from the Portuguese “ema”, large bird; it was applied first to Cassowaries in Australasia! It is also a root of the word “Seriema”!

The Portuguese used it for the rheas in South America "originally" (i.e. before it came to Australia).

It's kind of weird how many Australian animal names came from South America when Australia was an English colony.

 

[Tetzoo Quizzer]

My Seriema comment should be deleted; looks like I fell into a similarity trap!

 

[MRJ]

The Portuguese used it for the rheas in South America "originally" (i.e. before it came to Australia).

It's kind of weird how many Australian animal names came from South America when Australia was an English colony.

Most sailing ships coming from the UK stopped at Rio de Janeiro or other Brazilian ports on their way south, and the First Fleet certainly did. However, it appears the Portuguese applied the term to any big bird, including ostriches, which would imply the word was "borrowed" rather than being a reference to another species.

Arthur Phillip, the first British Govenor, called it the "New Holland Cassowary" in memoirs published in 1789.