Re: Dinosaur Genera List corrections #154

["Tim Williams" <twilliams_alpha@hotmail.com>]

George Olshevsky wrote:

> A type specimen (IVPP V 12330) for the species was designated, and the 
> species was described both within the paper and by reference to the 
> National Geographic article--a
> horrible description by scientific standards, but a description 
> nonetheless.  Thus, in April 2000, Archaeoraptor ceased to be a nomen > 
> nudum.

_Archaeoraptor_ may no longer be a _nomen nudum_, but is it necessarily a 
valid genus?  What diagnostic characters does Storrs Olson provide for the 
caudal series IVPP V 12330 of _Archaeoraptor liaoningensis_?  If the caudal 
vertebrae show no diagnostic characters below the level of Dromaeosauridae 
or Maniraptora, then _Archaeoraptor liaoningensis_ may be dismissed as a 
_nomen vanum_.


Tim




------------------------------------------------------------

Dr Timothy J. Williams

USDA/ARS Researcher
Agronomy Hall
Iowa State University
Ames IA 50014

Phone: 515 294 9233
Fax:   515 294 3163

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