Ever since the first melodic lightning struck a chord sequence of amoebas, animal-christened bands have been evolving into the grizzly, peaced-out, xylophone smashing creatures that walk the planes of our radio waves today.

Carolus Linnaeus once looked at nature and decided that it had to be divided into neat groups where each member was graced with a two word Latin name – Chrysanthemum maximum, Homo sapiens, you get the idea.

After too many conversations about whether the guy from Atlas Sound was in Deerhoof or Deerhunter, we at A&E realized that the musical world needed as much as any to be sifted through and sorted. We’re going to turn the world into one big zoo, where some float in the sky, some are chained under a full moon, and some gather outside the fences and sing kumbaya.

Who is the Bandasaurus Rex of the natural world? Is it one of the Animalia Generalis, like Animal Collective, the Animals, or the slightly boastful Super Furry Animals? Only one of them has evolved the “Peacebone.”

Pawedi Cuddli

The most transcendent of all cave dwellers, there must be some magical element in the honey they’re digging into. Grizzly Bear and Panda Bear have set aside their differences to focus on making experimental, bipolar sound-a-thons, and to prove they’re no stuffed toys.

Lunae Petrificae

Hiding out from the moon, probably in a bar, one may stumble across Wolf Parade, Wolfmother, and We are Wolves. The land of the indie blog is the probable place that the species Peanut Butter Wolf, Sea Wolf and Le Loupe will inhabit.

Clippus Cloppus

Galloping beats? Maybe. Band of Horses ride on the hormones of youth, and Sparklehorse was last reputed to be “In the belly of a mountain.”

Cloppus Timidus

You might find Caribou hanging in the woods with the hippies, channeling their music through kaleidoscopes. Deerhoof and Deerhunter are more urban dwellers, likely to be found around people who are not sure if they should dance or not.

Swampibus Hoppus

Likely to be found in damp places, especially ones with lily pads and moss, Frog Eyes and Tortoise can go from freak to folk and water to land.

Primatia Supremia

Gorillaz, like their predecessors the Monkees, tend to swing where pop radio grows.