Allosaurus ICZN petition

[GSP1954@aol.com]

Ken C. and I have placed a petition with the ICZN (available at 
www.gspauldino.com/images/BZN67(1)Case3506.pdf) intended to begin to sort out 
the mess 
that is Allosaurus genus and species taxonomy. The basic purpose is to 
retain the widely professionally used and well known to the public genus title 
by 
transfering the effective type from the hopelessly nondiagnostic holotype 
to the well known, nearly complete mounted skull and skeleton USNM 4734 which 
is from the same quarry and probably represents the same species. As the 
petition explains there is no alternative genus name based on diagnostic 
material. The petition also notes that since the Morrison lasted millions of 
years, and there is a lot of variation in Allosaurus morphology, there are very 
probably a number of species within the genus in the Morrison, as well as 
Europe. 

The ICZN would not allow it to be included in the petition, but this 
suggested action is superior to the redesignation of the type of Coelophysis to 
a 
AMNH Ghost Ranch skeleton. In that case the holoype was from a different 
quarry, and a somewhat different geological level, and may well represent a 
distinct species. As I explain in my 2008 Cretaceous Research paper on 
iguanodonts, the transfer of the type of Iguanodon from the original teeth to a 
I. 
bernissartensis skeleton that there is no doubt is a very different genus and 
species at least 10 million years younger, was a radical shift whose scope 
was not properly appreciated and discussed at the time -- although something 
had to be done and I. bernissartensis has long has been Iguanodon in the 
public's eye so it is a reasonable solution. 

You can post comments on the petition via the ICZN system. If the petition 
is accepted then at long last Allosaurus will be stabilized forever, and 
kids around the world can dance with joy and happiness and world peace will be 
achieved. 

GSPaul
www.gspauldino.com</HTML>