I took note of the anomalous animal names you cite and thought of the prevalence of beast fables in the ancient world, the most famous being the fables of Aesop. As far as I know---and this is basically from what I know of Homer--- whenever the oral tradition passes into the written, the work, as it is then edited redacted and passed down (previous manuscripts lost) bears traces of many hands and minds. Perhaps in these animal names there is a hint o scorn one narrative sect had for another.
I took note of the anomalous animal names you cite and thought of the prevalence of beast fables in the ancient world, the most famous being the fables of Aesop. As far as I know---and this is basically from what I know of Homer--- whenever the oral tradition passes into the written, the work, as it is then edited redacted and passed down (previous manuscripts lost) bears traces of many hands and minds. Perhaps in these animal names there is a hint o scorn one narrative sect had for another.