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Re: Species name etymology



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

CHAMOSAURUS belli - referring to the Belly River

I think this is pretty unlikely, except as a sort of pun. I'd put my money on it being named after some (male) person named Bell.



EDMONTONIA longiceps - Longus (Latin) = "long" and -ceps, referring to the length of the species head

Yes, -ceps (actually -cept + -s) is a combining form of caput 'head'.


GALLIMIMUS bullatus - Bulla (Latin) = "stud" or "boss", referring to the inflated braincase area of the skull

The intended meaning is probably more like 'bubble' or 'capsule', something round and hollow. "Bullatus" = 'having a bulla, provided with a bulla'.



TROODON formosus - Referring to the island of Formosa and alluding to the splendor of the island and of the specimen.

'Splendid' works, or 'beautiful'. Basically, "formosus" = 'having a (pleasing) form'.


--
Nick Pharris
Department of Linguistics
University of Michigan

"Creativity is the sudden cessation of stupidity."
    --Edwin H. Land