Re: Ceratops (was RE: Glishades ericksoni, ...)

[Denver Fowler <df9465@yahoo.co.uk>]

From: Tim Williams <tijawi@yahoo.com>
>But... we'll never know where _Ceratops_ sits in ceratopsian phylogeny.  
>_Ceratops_ is *never* included in a phylogenetic analysis, because it is a 
>nomen dubium.  

Mmm.. yes probably, but if we can get a good fix on exactly where the specimen 
was collected (which is possible, although it will require a bit more work on 
one of our current projects at the MOR), then given the stratigraphically 
restricted nature of dinosaur taxa, we could probably near-as-dammit say to 
which (other) taxon it belonged. Not ideal for sure, but a bit closer than 
"we'll never know".

As someone who works on ceratopsids, some discussion on the clade name is 
pertinent, since I suspect we are starting to get to the point where pre 
chasmosaurine-centrosaurine taxa split taxa (other than Zuniceratops et al, 
which are way way back in the spiky past) are beginning to be recognised, or at 
least, are about to be discovered.

 ----------------------------------
Denver Fowler
df9465@yahoo.co.uk
http://www.denverfowler.com
http://www.museumoftherockies.org/
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