Re: Dromaeosauridae names, please!

["Jaime A. Headden" <qilongia@yahoo.com>]

David Marjanovic wrote:

<<<"Ichabodcraniosaurus" (LK Mongolia, only mentioned
in _Michael Novacek: Dinosaurs of the Flaming Cliffs,
Anchor Books 1996_,>>>

  There are no diacritics for Mike's last name, even
though it should be pronounced slavically, as is
David's. My surname is rooted in Gaelic and as a
result the two dd's are _th_, but I keep the stiff
upper lip and say "d."

<<This is new to the list, is it not? George needs to
make it Dinosaur Genera List Corrections #151 or
something.>>

<Since it has _never_ been mentioned _anywhere_ else
(except if it is the "middle sized" indeterminate
dromaeosaur mentioned in The Dinosauricon), it is new.
Maybe it has turned out to be e. g. Velociraptor in
the meantime and this wasn't published because
"Ichabodcraniosaurus" wasn't officially published
either; I just don't know.>

  George lists _published_ names, not things floating
around discussion groups, that meet criteria as set
forward by the ICZN. Publication without description
results in a nomen nudum, but this has not, I believe,
appeared in print with reference to a specific fossil
(I'll have to check the book) even though it does
apply to a form ... and you guys all hush up, some
things take time, and so does this particular wierdo.
Once you realize what specimen it comes from, you'll
realize why the nickname (like Sue isn't a proper
taxonomic name in any sense) fits.
 
<Interesting. Didn't someone think these teeth are
pachycephalosaur fangs?>

  Of course. Lessem & Glut in the _Dinosaur Blunder
Book_ ... I mean _The Dinosaur Society's Dinosaur
Encylcopedia_ :) There may be an earlier reference,
but this is the one that springs to mind. Anyway, you
really couldn't tell without a histological section,
because even some pachy's that possess the fangs have
some serration on them, including *Goyocephale.*


=====
Jaime "James" A. Headden

  Dinosaurs are horrible, terrible creatures! Even the
  fluffy ones, the snuggle-up-at-night-with ones. You think
  they're fun and sweet, but watch out for that stray tail
  spike! Down, gaston, down, boy! No, not on top of Momma!

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Get Yahoo! Mail - Free email you can access from anywhere!
http://mail.yahoo.com/