RE: Fw: synapsids are reptiles

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

Tracy Ford (dino.hunter@cox.net) wrote:

<IMHO this is not a valid argument. Just because Everyone uses it doesn't
make it right.>

  It was not my attempt to suggest that this be done because anyone else
was doing it, but at the prevalent professional non-use in light of the
lack of valid construction parameters in the name.

<Just look at how many names have the wrong tense because they us 'i' for
an animal named for several different people than the correct 'orum'?>

  Unfortunately, this is ridiculously prevalent, and I agree with the
methods of George in correcting this. But as of 1999, the ICZN no longer
allows family names, genera, species, and all taxa up to superfamily rank,
to be corrected based on construction errors. The thing is, prior to the
third edition, only taxa up to superfamily could be corrected. This
excluded Ceratopsia from such methods, as there were no governing bodies
that could suggest anything. This means, that though *Sinovenator changii*
was named for a woman, Chang Wiman, the name cannot be changed by the
present rules.

<You cause would make it wrong to correct it.>

  Only taxa above superfamily, and at or below that rank before 1999.
Ceratopsia and Neoceratopsia are not cogent taxa. Why no one tried to
correct Ceratopsidae and similar stems with the ICZN I have no idea.... If
anyone _did_ publish such a case on these stems, I'd like to know where
and how this was done.

<Word tenses don't seem to be a priority to many paleontologist, but that
dose by no means make it that they are correct and shouldn't be told that
it's wrong.>

  Never. If I coin a taxon, I will be as close to the appropriate tense in
the stem as possible to get.

<Like is said, if they got it wrong tense wise, and they did, dose not
mean it shouldn't be corrected.>

  Unfortunately, there are no procedures that can be performed for such
taxa. This may be provided in the near future, and perhaps the ICZN can
alter it's non-action clause, but this is not so.

<IT does need to be corrected and it should be corrected regardless of the
'popular' uses. Also then the correct usage of Family: EOBRACHYOPIDAE
Shishkin, 1964, ORDER: BRACHYOPOMORPHA WARREN & MARSICANO, 2000, SUBORDER:
BRACHYOPOIDEA ROMER, 1947, Superfamily: BRACHYOPOIDEA Save-Soderbergh,
1935, is wrong?>

  Indeed, not. These are the appropriate and accurate stems, and I am glad
they were used. But they were also the original constructions. I do not
advocate the placement of the [s], but cannot suggest taking it out
without some show of priority, else why not change any name that doesn't
agree? Manuraptora and Manuraptoriformes and Eumanuraptora all the way, I
guess. No. I take a firm stance: no matter how badly formed, a name coined
is retained. Hence, Caudipteridae [ugh...].

<If the terms for this usage is correct, then all the other families need
to be corrected, you can't have it both ways.>

  And I'm glad I don't.

<THIS is the correct usage and should be use, but what others do is up to
them, and I'll leave it at that.  I will do my best to remember to correct
the names and not use the 's'.>

  Wish I'd been there to knock on Marsh' forehead to fix this before it
began, but I wasn't. Cope was the better taxonomist. Unless one refers to
Ceratopsia, any subsequent usage of this taxon can only be provided for
Ceratopia Steel. This is a different taxon, it lacks the [s], and even
though it varies by a single letter, it cannot be the same taxon. It's
either this -- inflexibility -- or being able to change any taxon to suit
the style of the age, as it is now. Some gross linguistic turns of phrase
in modern taxonomy include Maniraptora, but there are no positive means of
handling this without permitting loopholes in any other nomen coined.

  Sorry if this rankles, it does for me, but I see no any otherway, and
being inflexible in taxonomy permits a sound structure that will withstand
further problems. I can only advocate that there be some means of a panel
for checking names, or by running names by linguists to make sure they are
formed appropriately. I see no one "fixing" *Paralititan* to the more
"accurate" _Paralotitan_....

  Cheers,

=====
Jaime A. Headden

  Little steps are often the hardest to take.  We are too used to making leaps 
in the face of adversity, that a simple skip is so hard to do.  We should all 
learn to walk soft, walk small, see the world around us rather than zoom by it.

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Tax Center - online filing with TurboTax
http://taxes.yahoo.com/