Re: Let's scrap it!

["David Marjanovic" <david.marjanovic@gmx.at>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jura" <archosaur@reptilis.net>


> I don't know; considering the jumbled history of _Apatosaurus_ (the head,
name and now the neck movement thing), I honestly think that this name has
become (rather serendipitously) apt.

I agree. Though still -saurus is not a good idea. After all, it isn't a
lizard.

> I *do* think that the name: brontosaurus, should come out of "retirement"
though.

I don't. I mean, did it thunder? Elephants don't, they tread softly.

> [...] nomen nudum issue.

*Brontosaurus* is not a nomen nudum, it is described. It's just a junior
synonym of *Apatosaurus* (and the holotype is a subadult specimen, BTW).

Oh, er, to introduce some science...

Apart from the K dinosaurs, the angiosperms from Liáoníng are evidence for a
K age -- and none of that K stuff occurs in the underlying Tuchengzi Fm
which is LJ (contains *Archaeoceratops*). The radiometric datings that there
are say Barremian, 125 -- 121 Ma ago. The anurognathid pterosaur
*Dendrorhynchoides* suggested a J age until *Jeholopterus* was discovered
AFAIK.
        Most of the K dinosaur groups, like Troodontidae, are known from the
J, just the specimens haven't been named apart from *Koparion*.

Stratigraphy...

Fuxin or Sunjiawan Fm?   EK
Shahai Fm   EK   dino eggs (*Heishanoolithus changii*)
Jiufotang Fm   EK
Yixian Fm   EK
Chaomidianzi Fm   EK
            Hengdaozi Member
            Jiulongsong Member
            Sihetun Member
Tuchengzi Fm   LJ
Lanqi Fm   158.1 Ma, should be the very beginning of the LJ
Jiulongshan Fm   MJ?   eutriconodont *Liaotherium*
Changcheng System   Precambrian

And then there's a Wafangdian Fm that's thought to be MJ... can only be
between Tuchengzi and Lanqi, but then the age isn't correct.

The r in "*Perpiaoornis*" must be a typo, a mistake in copying from
handwriting, a scanner error or something like that. The Chinese language
doesn't allow an r in this place. Several old transcriptions had Pei(-)piao
instead of Beipiao (not a good idea... the b isn't so hard, I've heard a
Chinese talk loudly and clearly in the subway some days ago, while the p is
very hard and aspirated); this appears in the fish (gar?) *Peipiaosteus*.