Re: Aeolosaurus colhuehuapensis n sp

[Mike Taylor <mike@indexdata.com>]

T. Michael Keesey writes:
 > On 5/13/07, Jay <sappororaptor@yahoo.com> wrote:
 > > Casal, G., Martinez, R.D., Luna, M., Sciutto, J.C. and Lamanna,
 > > M.C., 2007. Aeolosaurus colhuehuapensis sp. nov. (Sauropoda,
 > > Titanosauria) de la Formacion Bajo Barreal, Cretacico superior de
 > > Argentina. Revista Brasileira de Paleontologia, 10(1): 53-62.
 > 
 > A new species without a new genus? =o
 > Is that allowed in dinosaur systematics? ;)

:-)

I don't think it's wise, even though it's allowed: it's a name that
commits the authors to a specific (and quite precise) phylogenetic
hypothesis.  By naming the new taxon _Aeolosaurus colhuehuapensis_,
the authors are asserting that it is more closely related to
_rionegrinus_ than to any other named sauropod genus: not something
I'd be quick to do on the basis of (all together now) a series of
eroded caudals.

 _/|_    ___________________________________________________________________
/o ) \/  Mike Taylor    <mike@indexdata.com>    http://www.miketaylor.org.uk
)_v__/\  "It's the only dinosaur named after an arm of the federal
         government.  Someday I'm going to name one after the IRS" --
         Robert Bakker on _Drinker nisti_, named after the National
         Institute of Standards and Technology.