Re: von Huene's Altispinax: a necessary clarification

[Dinogeorge@aol.com]

In a message dated 1/8/02 10:19:18 AM EST, StephanPickering@cs.com writes:

<< Altispinax von Huene 1923 BMNH R1828 nomen conservandum
        = Becklespinax Olshevsky 1991 BMNH R1828 nomen rejectum
        = Valdoraptor Olshevsky 1991 BMNH 2559 nomen rejectum
        Altispinax lydekkerhueneorum Pickering 1990 BMNH R1828
        =   Megalosaurus oweni Lydekker 1889 BMNH 2559 nomen dubium
        = ?Acrocanthosaurus altispinax G.S. Paul 1988 nomen nudum
        = Becklespinax altispinax Olshevsky 1991 BMNH R1828 nomen rejectum et 
 nudum
        = Valdoraptor oweni Olshevsky 1991 BMNH 2559 nomen rejectum et nudum 
>>

None of this was published in accordance with ICZN rules prior to Mesozoic 
Meanderings #2 first printing, so it cannot be accepted. Copyrighted and/or 
back-dated manuscripts are not publications. As I said before, Huene's 
circumlocutions in creating the name Altispinax eventually resulted in 
Altispinax explicitly being given the type species Megalosaurus dunkeri and 
left the three vertebrae nameless. Huene could have simply created Altispinax 
with the three vertebrae as its explicit type specimen but did not. Too bad, 
the name Altispinax is a nomen dubium based on a single nondescript theropod 
tooth, and the only available generic name for the three vertebrae is 
Becklespinax. End of discussion.