RE: Species name etymology

["Thomas R. Holtz, Jr." <tholtz@geol.umd.edu>]

> From: owner-DINOSAUR@usc.edu [mailto:owner-DINOSAUR@usc.edu]On Behalf Of
> Steve Walsh
>
> Thanks to Jay and David and some extra digging this is my current
> list. Any comments?
>
> AVIMIMUS portentosus - Possibly "portentous" = of monumental
> significance, because Avimimus was such an important find ?

If memory serves, because it potends the appearance of birds (even though it 
was long after the origin of birds...).

> GALLIMIMUS bullatus - Bulla (Latin) = "stud" or "boss",

Actually, from "wearing the bulla", the latter being a gold capsule worn around 
the neck of noble Roman youths. Osmolska et al.
specify that is the origin of the name, in reference to the bulbous 
parasphenoid capsule. And yes, I ripped of that word as the
origin of "Bullatosauria." (Kind of miss those guys...)

> referring to
> the inflated braincase area of the skull

> TROODON formosus - Referring to the island of Formosa and alluding to
> the splendor of the island and of the specimen.
>
I can't imagine Leidy ACTUALLY referenced Formosa when he named this tooth. I 
would imagine he was simply thinking "splendid".
However, we don't know, as the Leidy 1856 paper doesn't include etymologies.

                Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
        Senior Lecturer, Vertebrate Paleontology
Department of Geology           Director, Earth, Life & Time Program
University of Maryland          College Park Scholars
        Mailing Address:
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