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Elasmo



When people on this list see "elasmo" they naturally think about Elasmosaurus, but there is another usage (and a whole other list), where "elasmo" suggests Elasmobranchs. There is actually a list called ELASMO-L.) We all know what elsmobranchs are, don't we class? Of course: they are the "strap-gills," the sharks, skates and rays. And while "elasmo" in Greek means "plate," it is entirely possible that the coiners of the words Elasmosaurus and Elasmobranch used it to mean "strap" or "plate," referring to the shape, and it had nothing whatever to do with metal.

Richard Ellis