Re: Nomenclature

[<TWILLIAMS@canr1.cag.uconn.edu>]

> 
> I created the group Tyrannosauria in my 1995 article for Gakken for
> (essentially--since I didn't define it cladistically) all coelurians more
> closely related to _Tyrannosaurus_ than to bullatosaurs. This would encompass
> such groups and genera as shanshanosaurines, _Itemirus_, _Tonouchisaurus_, and
> perhaps even _Stokesosaurus_ and _Compsognathus_ as well as the
> tyrannosaurines (members of subfamily Tyrannosaurinae) we all know and love.

To clarify for those who are a little surprised by the membership of 
the Tyrannosauria given above...

Shanshanosaurines is a term erected (by George) for the basal 
Tyrannosauridae, or Aublysodontinae.  This is undoubtedly 
paraphyletic.  It includes _Aublysodon_ (or _Stygivenator_), 
_Shanshanosaurus_ and possibly _Alioramus_ (although the braincase 
suggests that it might be a very derived tyrannosaurine).  
_Aublysodon_, as George has pointed out on many occasions, was named 
from teeth that are probably not diagnostic at the genus level.

_Shanshanosaurus_, I've heard, could just be a juvenile _Tarbosaurus_ 
- the original reconstruction needs a little work.

_Compsognathus_ IMHO never looked like a tyrannosauroid.  With the 
discovery of _Sinosauropteryx_ and doubt surrounding the 
interpretation of the manus of _Compsognathus_ as didactyl, the 
Compsognathidae are more likely to be basal coelurosaurians. 

_Tonouchisaurus_ - has this thing been described?

_Itemirus_ - braincase shows features in common with both 
tyrannosaurids and dromaeosaurids.  Still need a body, or more of the 
skull.

_Stokesosaurus_ - firming as a tyrannosauroid with the referral of an 
extraordinarily derived (for a Late Jurassic theropod) and 
somewhat tyrannosaurid-like braincase to this genus.  The article 
appeared in JVP sometime earlier this year.