The 10 Best Prehistoric Nicknames

By Bob Strauss, About.com Guide

When a prehistoric animal has a difficult-to-pronounce name like Cretoxyrhina or Oreopithecus, it helps if it's also given a catchy nickname--after all, the "Demon Duck of Doom" is more likely to to feature in newspaper headlines than the much more ordinary-sounding Bullockornis. Here's a selection of the 10 best nicknames in the history of paleontology, which have been bestowed on creatures as diverse as sharks, dogs and prehistoric parrots.