Dizzydeani (actually, I believe,
Mastagaphora dizzydeani - thanks
sid!) is the species name for a particular
spider. It was given this somewhat
whimsical moniker by a
baseball-loving
naturalist; the spider hunts by weaving a sticky ball of
silk, and hurling it at passing prey. The name is a play on the famous pitcher
Dizzy Dean. Trivia: We are aware of perhaps 35,000 species of spider; this naturalist estimates there are something like 135,000
species as yet unobserved or uncategorized.
Source: National Geographic, August 2001