Pterosaur = "giraffe with wings" and other media paleo-cliches

[bh480@scn.org]

From: Ben Creisler
bh480@scn.org

Mike Taylor's distress at the seeing Science magazine 
immediately evoke Tyrannosaurus as soon as the 
word "theropod" is used is but one of many media paleo-
cliches.

Ignoring the nearly universal misuse of "dinosaur" for 
virtually any ancient crawling, walking, swimming, or 
flying reptilian, there is the exasperating need to 
mention the Loch Ness monster whenever the topic of 
plesiosaurs comes up. 

Now a new cliche appears to be emerging that links 
pterosaurs and giraffes, in the wake of recent papers 
about the habits of giant azhdarchids. Of course, it may 
be the scientist who is being compared to a winged 
giraffe in the following headline to an article about 
Gwawinapterus:

Like a giraffe with wings: Canadian scientist identifies 
extinct flying reptile

http://www.montrealgazette.com/technology/Like+giraffe+wit
h+wings+Canadian+scientist+identifies+extinct+flying/40885
34/story.html