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Re: Giraffatitin brancai Vs Brachiosaurus brancai Vs Brachiosaurus altithorax


The differences between Brachiosaurus and Giraffatitan may go beyond those of the vertebrae. If a skull from the Morrison Formation (at the Denver Museum) is indeed Brachiosaurus altithorax, then there are also significant differences in the skulls as well.
With these differences, plus the fact that they are from different continents, I favor recognizing them as two distinct genera. But deciding between generic and subgeneric status is often a matter of taste (and either choice can be justified). If one wants to follow a safer, more conservative path, you can go with Paul's subgeneric designation, in which case the name is Brachiosaurus (Giraffatitan) brancai. It's quite a mouthful, but it sort of like having it both ways.
----- Cheers, Ken Kinman
P.S. I assume that the mounts in Chicago still have a Giraffatitan skull. Perhaps they may have to someday replace it with a cast from the Morrison skull in Denver. But they are probably similar enough that most people wouldn't even notice the difference.

*****************************************
From: MariusRomanus@aol.com
Reply-To: MariusRomanus@aol.com
To: dinosaur@usc.edu
Subject: Re: Giraffatitin brancai Vs Brachiosaurus brancai Vs Brachiosaurus altithorax
Date: Sun, 17 Mar 2002 23:21:09 EST

>>Actually little is used in the skull. <<

Oh, I figured that much. I know there had to be more to it than the skull. I
was just making the remark that the only thing I can find on a difference
between the two was the mention of _Giraffatitin_ having high nasals...... If
anyone is wondering, I found that at The Dinosauricon. By the way... The
Dinosauricon says that we have
5 partial skeletons, several skulls, and limb elements for _Giraffatitan_ but
only 2 partial skeletons for _B. altithorax_ with ?skull?..... So i'm
guessing we don't have a skull for altithorax.

>>dorsal vertebrae in G. brancai that shows the differences between B.
alithorax and G. brancai<<

What's different about them?

>>The field museum and Oâ??Hare Airport are one and the same, B. altithorax.<<

Good.......... I can stop feeling bad about not seeing the one at
O'Hare...... I've been wondering about it for 2 years.  :-)

Thanks a lot for the info Tracy
Kris





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