[b_sharp]

"I think for many people the so-called "tree of life" diagrams have serious apparent limitations. "

I certainly won't disagree with you, current taxonomy is part of the reason creationists keep harping on the lack of speciation. Unfortunately, there are only a limited number of ways of visually showing nested hierarchy and trees seem to impart the most accurate information. I include cladograms in this since they are just, more or less, modified trees.

"You just don't see Lumpophyus earlius or Squiffodontus confusus on these "trees."

I not really sure I would like to see these 'transitionals' anywhere but on the same branch as Plene caecus.

[From many - one.]

:-) I give up. I tried to top Plene caecus and couldn't.

[From many - one.]

All I had to do was hit the "post" button and this popped into mind...

Here ya go:
Curiosities of Biological Nomenclature: Puns

http://home.earthlink.net/~misaak/taxonomy/taxPuns.html

Agra vation
Enema pan
Ba humbugi
...and a swarm of others