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Re: Species name etymology




--- Steve Walsh <steve.w@c-point.com> wrote:

> Dear DMLers,
> I'm attempting to nail down the etymology of some species names. I'd 
> really appreciate your collected wisdom on confirming, correcting and 
> completing the below list. In anticipation, thanks.

I've tried to pull the answers from the original papers.

> 
> AVIMIMUS portentosus - Possibly "portentous" = of monumental 
> significance, because Avimimus was such an important find
> 
> BACTROSAURUS johnsoni - Johnson?

presumably because the type materials came from Johnson's quarry

> 
> CARNOTAURUS sastrei ?
> 
> CHAMOSAURUS belli - In honor of John Bell Hatcher, a fossil collector 
> of 19th century United States or in reference to the Belly River ?
> 
> COELOPHYSIS bauri - In honor of Georg Herman Baur, who was at one 
> time Marsh's collector, but later wrote articles on Marsh's 
> inaccurate illustrations - correct?

sounds good, though i woudn't know.

> 
> DRYOSAURUS altus - Altus (Latin) = "high" or "deep" - why?
> 
> EDMONTONIA longiceps - Longus (Latin) = "long" and -ceps - why?
> 
> EUOPLOCEPHALUS tutus - Tutus (Latin) = "safe" referring to the 
> security afforded by its armour - (wild guess on my part)
> 
> GALLIMIMUS bullatus - Bhel = "to inflate or swell", referring to the 
> inflated braincase area of the skull - correct?

I think so, and for the same reason Bullatosauria that got its name.

> 
> MAMENCHISAURUS constructus - Constrictus (Latin) = "compress" - why?

Not named for a construction company if i recall from my youth?

> 
> ORNITHOLESTES hermanni - Herman?

Adam herman was the preparator working on the specimen, so probably yes.

> 
> PROTOCERATOSAURUS bradleyi - In honor of Wilmot Hyde Bradley, 
> distinguished geologist and Chief Geologist of the U.S. Geological 
> Survey - correct?

Close, but Megalosaurus bradleyi (when named) was a European form, so that's a 
hint.
Woodward named the species after its discoverer, F. Lewis Bradley
> 
> RHOETOSAURUS brownie - In honor of Henry York Lyell Brown, a 
> geologist responsible for many vertebrate fossils found in Australia - 
> correct?

No, named for A. J. Browne, manager at the then Durham Downs Station. The 
species name is brownei.
> 
> SHUNOSAURUS lii ?

Named for Beng Lii, a hydrologist and governer of olden Sichuan province

> 
> STRUTHIOMIMUS altus - Altus (Latin) = "high" or "deep" - why?

if you find the answer for Dryosaurus altus, then probably it is the same here.

> 
> TROODON formosus - Forma (Latin) = "shape", perhaps referring to the 
> form of the teeth - correct?




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