Re: Triceratops and Torosaurus

[jonathan.r.wagner@mail.utexas.edu]

Nick Pharris,

> Exsqueeze me?  You think one or more of the *handful* of known _Torosaurus_ 
> specimens might be closer to _Triceratops_ than to the other _Tor._
> specimens?  Based on what, OOC?

The flip answer: just like people have suggested that the *handful* of 
specimens of Archaeopteryx, or of Tenontosaurus, or of Pachyrhinosaurus 
(including here Ashcelousaurus) or of fossil hominids, or of Psittacosaurus, or 
of Australopithecus, or of any one a bazillion different fossil "genera" might 
be composed of more than one species. :)

The real answer: as of my last check, there are three named species of 
Torosaurus, T. latus, T. gladius, and T. utahensis. Synonomy of the first two 
seem likely, but the last has a pretty short frill, and might be a distinct 
species. Might not be. Such a short frill on a chasmosaurine might well link 
this animal with Triceratops. Might could. Lehman has actually published a 
cladogram that shows this (J. Pal. 70, 494-508), although he was explicitly 
reanylizing data, not conducting a thorough study.

So, as I said, I "wouldn't be surprised."

:)

Wagner