Re: Bambiraptor

["Jerry D. Harris" <dinogami@hotmail.com>]

> How about Qantasaurus, named after the Australian airline?  To a >lesser 
> extent, what about dinosaurs and other creatures named after >mythical 
> figures, like the recently named Jobaria?  Sereno and his >colleagues named 
> this sauropod after a mythical figure of Tuareg >tradition (and the name 
> that the nomads gave the dinosaur bones).  >Is this 'unscientific', too?  
> Or, are these names dumb?

  No.  It is difficult to describe _why_ most people generally would 
consider something "dumb" or not.  Naming fossils after mythical entities, 
particularly in places where the mythology is largely unfamiliar in the West 
(e.g., Niger or Mongolia) is actually pretty cool, particularly when the 
mythical entity in question bears some passing resemblance to a dinosaur (in 
many cases, remember, there's some chance that fossils of one sort or 
another actually inspired the mythology to begin with!). Naming taxa after 
commercial organizations is, IMHO, a little more "dumb," but if the 
organization in question helped fund the dig and/or research, I think it's 
acceptable, if not taxonomically descriptive -- after all, people have named 
taxa for individuals who have funded work; why not an organization (not that 
I wish to ever see, for example, "Amazondotcomsaurus" -- it's not a 
collegiate football game, after all!). "Bambi," however, evokes a general 
sense of childishness, and most scientists would not, I think, wish their 
work to be viewed that way -- it's hard to take someone seriously when you 
view their work as juvenile.

> > > > > PLEASE NOTE NEW E-MAIL ADDRESS!!! <<<<<

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                     Jerry D. Harris
                 Fossil Preparation Lab
          New Mexico Museum of Natural History
                   1801 Mountain Rd NW
               Albuquerque  NM  87104-1375
                 Phone:  (505) 841-2809
                  Fax: ; (505) 841-2808
           >>>>> dinogami@hotmail.com <<<<<

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