Nomum Indecorum

[Mike Taylor <mike@tecc.co.uk>]

Evenin' all,

In my capacity as FAQ maintainer (remember that? :-), I've been sent a
question to which I don't know the answer at all.  Can anyone help?

> Date: Thu, 28 Feb 2002 09:07:58 +0800
> From: "Saliya Cooray" <saliya@email.com>
> 
> Just wondering, are there any dinosaur names that have been rejected
> by the ICZN for reasons of taste and decency.
> 
> As you know, 'Scrotum humanum' is a nomen oblitum for Megalosaurus,
> and a dinosaur was named 'Irritator', showing that there is a
> certain laxity to nomenclature nowadays.
> 
> So if (for example)the people who described Tsintaosaurus had called
> it 'Phallocephalas' (dickhead) would that name be overruled for
> being too rude?

 _/|_    _______________________________________________________________
/o ) \/  Mike Taylor   <mike@miketaylor.org.uk>   www.miketaylor.org.uk
)_v__/\  "Those who do not understand UNIX are condemned to re-invent
         it, poorly" -- Henry Spencer.