Re: Specific names

[NJPharris@aol.com]

In a message dated 10/18/99 7:32:11 AM Pacific Daylight Time, 
znc14@TTACS.TTU.EDU writes:

>       On a different point, regarding the suggestion that _Maiasaura
>  peeblesorum_ ought to be changed to _Maiasaura peebls*A*rum_: Our local 
bevy
>  of latinophiles believe that the proposed change is inappropriate, as the
>  specific epithet is a *noun* in the genetive plural, not an adjective.
>  Possesive nouns are not required (by the rules of Latin, perhaps not by the
>  rules of the ICZN) to agree with their object in gender or number
>  (obviously, since your gender does not change just because you own a female
>  dog, and you don't spawn a clone when you buy a new dog). Any thoughts from
>  y'all out there?

Exactly right.  _peeblesorum_ refers to the Peebles family, at least some of 
whom are male (and that's enough to make the whole group masculine, under 
Latin rules).  It does NOT refer to _Maiasaura_ itself.

--Nick P.