diff --git a/words/scales.txt b/words/scales.txt
index fd213e345..f3ba7c22d 100644
--- a/words/scales.txt
+++ b/words/scales.txt
@@ -239,7 +239,6 @@ silverside
 banjo
 barb
 barbel
-bangus
 banfish
 ray
 danio
@@ -475,3 +474,25 @@ rattlesnake
 armadillo
 bonytongue
 flops
+skink
+gharial
+viper
+adder
+taipan
+slowworm
+sturgeon
+krait
+copperhead
+bushmaster
+sidewinder
+kingsnake
+draco
+terrapin
+loggerhead
+hawksbill
+grouper
+wrasse
+parrotfish
+triggerfish
+tench
+shiner
diff --git a/words/tails.txt b/words/tails.txt
index 9b5ae2ca9..d3031c840 100644
--- a/words/tails.txt
+++ b/words/tails.txt
@@ -453,7 +453,6 @@ silverside
 banjo
 barb
 barbel
-bangus
 batfish
 danio
 betta
@@ -799,3 +798,37 @@ komodo
 rattlesnake
 softshell
 bonytongue
+thresher
+numbat
+marten
+wolverine
+mongoose
+sugarglider
+ringtail
+bongo
+klipspringer
+chinchilla
+nutria
+muskrat
+fennec
+tarsier
+sifaka
+baboon
+mandrill
+langur
+boar
+peccary
+duiker
+dikdik
+impala
+chamois
+markhor
+roadrunner
+wagtail
+pintail
+fantail
+sawfish
+swordtail
+oarfish
+newt
+olm
diff --git a/words/words_test.go b/words/words_test.go
index 3547411a1..f04ae9008 100644
--- a/words/words_test.go
+++ b/words/words_test.go
@@ -4,10 +4,15 @@
 package words
 
 import (
+	"slices"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 )
 
+var nopes = []string{
+	"chub", "bangus", "hellbender",
+}
+
 func TestWords(t *testing.T) {
 	test := func(t *testing.T, words []string) {
 		t.Helper()
@@ -23,6 +28,9 @@ func TestWords(t *testing.T) {
 			if w == "" || strings.IndexFunc(w, nonASCIILower) != -1 {
 				t.Errorf("malformed word %q", w)
 			}
+			if slices.Contains(nopes, w) {
+				t.Errorf("word %q has been previously rejected/removed and should not be added", w)
+			}
 		}
 	}
 	t.Run("tails", func(t *testing.T) { test(t, Tails()) })