RE: Happy "Capitalsaurus" Day!

["Williams, Tim" <TiJaWi@agron.iastate.edu>]

Tracy Ford wrote:

>Ah, this just goes to show how little people know and just ASSUME
>things. My good friend and my co-worker, etc, Tom Lipka has NOTHING AT >ALL
TO DO WITH CAPITALSAURUS! And I caution you for defaming his name >with the
scrappy material. 

Umm... I was kidding.  I *know* he had nothing to do with it.  That was sort
of part of the joke.  The joke (such as it was) was if a complete skeleton
was discovered from Arundel (and the website lends the impression that
"Capitalsaurus" is known from a complete skeleton), Tom would be the one to
excavate it.  After all, Tom and his endeavors are closely associated with
Arundel.  Of course, since there is *no* complete skeleton of
"Capitalsaurus", just the non-diagnostic tail-bone ...  oh, never mind. 

>I wouldn't be surprised if you don't occur this wrath. 

I would be very much surprised.  I've corresponded off-list with Tom and
found him very agreeable and in possession of a fine sense of humor.  A
shame that can't be said for everyone.

>As far as names go, GET A LIFE!!! When you start naming animals you can
>name them what ever you want (except after yourself, but I bet you'd all
>want to change that!).

I believe there is no actual rule prohibiting naming taxa after oneself;
it's just a convention.  (And the "Get a Life" reference entirely eludes
me.)

>It is named for a reason and if you don't like it then tough, live with
>it...

I was under the impression that a name should accompany a description for it
be considered valid.  Otherwise the name is a _nomen nudum_, and the less
said the better.  From that perspective, I suppose I don't like the name
"Capitalsaurus".  I have a feeling it's going to serve as an irritant to
theropod taxonomy for many decades to come.

>Ah, I got to calm down...serenity now, serenity now, SERENITY NOW!!!!

Better late that never, I suppose.



Tim