WoW Taxonomy IV: Nyctanessa

This week we have our first avian reference, a strange genus of heron.

In WoW, Nyctanessa is a level 44 demonology lock from the guild "42". There is only one other toon with the name, a 38 undead lock with the traditional spelling, but three others with the alternative genus name of Nyticorax (see below).

I'm assuming the GM is a Douglas Adams fan:

"Forty two?!" yelled Loonquawl. "Is that all you've got to show for seven and a half million years' work?"

"I checked it very thoroughly," said the computer, "and that quite definitely is the answer. I think the problem, to be quite honest with you, is that you've never actually known what the question is."

We've had a hell of a time keeping a lock in the guild for some reason. An affliction lock hit 70 this past weekend, however, so that will help diversify our Karazhan teams when she's geared.

IRL, Nyctanassa is a genus of bird, specifically the night herons. There are only a few species of Nyctanassa extant; most of the island dwelling species went extinct in the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, probably due to the European settlement of these areas during the time period.

The yellow-crowned night heron (pictured above) and the few other species of night herons alive today are very common in marshes across the world. Recently, ecologists in Bermuda have moved a population of yellow-crowned night herons to fill the niche the Bermuda night heron, which researchers believe went extinct in the 17th century. I contacted a couple of institutes regarding the project, but have yet to hear back about the effects of the transition.

There is some debate over the night herons' genus name. Both Nyctanassa ("night lady/queen") and Nycticorax ("night raven") are used contemporarily to refer to the herons.

Photo by David M. Jensen