RE: PDF-request: Original description of Lagosuchus and/or Marasuchus

[Jaime Headden <qi_leong@hotmail.com>]

I replied briefly offlist, but I'm going to reply again here:

  The ICZN does not have any formal criteria on determining what to do or even 
how to distinguish a _nomen dubium_. In addition, both species originally 
designated to *Lagosuchus,* *L. chanarensis* and *L. lilloensis*, exist in 
isolation; only *lilloensis* was removed as *Marasuchus*, while *Lagosuchus 
chanarensis* still exists beside it.

  It was the argument of Sereno and Arcucci that *Lagosuchus chanarensis* 
lacked apomorphies which would allow any other species/specimen to be 
attributed to *Lagosuchus*, prompting the move. This argument has been 
followed, but not tested, in print since it's conception. To date, had we 
followed this method, we would have forgotten *Coelophysis,* *Iguanodon,* and 
*Cetiosaurus*. I wonder if the better appropriate device to "rescue" the taxon 
is to redesignate a holotype, but this is in exception to the argument that the 
type is undiagnostic or lacks apomorphies (not the same thing).

Cheers,

Jaime A. Headden

"Innocent, unbiased observation is a myth." --- P.B. Medawar (1969)


"Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn
from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent
disinclination to do so." --- Douglas Adams (Last Chance to See)


"Ever since man first left his cave and met a stranger with a
different language and a new way of looking at things, the human race
has had a dream: to kill him, so we don't have to learn his language or
his new way of looking at things." --- Zapp Brannigan (Beast With a Billion 
Backs)





----------------------------------------
> Date: Wed, 7 Apr 2010 11:20:57 +0200
> From: david.marjanovic@gmx.at
> To: dinosaur@usc.edu
> Subject: Re: PDF-request: Original description of Lagosuchus and/or Marasuchus
>
>> Lagosuchus and/or its senior synonym Marasuchus
>
> While I don't have the papers in any form, let me mention that
> *Marasuchus* was erected because *Lagosuchus* was considered a nomen
> dubium, AFAIK; in any case, the name *Marasuchus* is much younger.
                                          
_________________________________________________________________
The New Busy is not the too busy. Combine all your e-mail accounts with Hotmail.
http://www.windowslive.com/campaign/thenewbusy?tile=multiaccount&ocid=PID28326::T:WLMTAGL:ON:WL:en-US:WM_HMP:042010_4