Re: List of Dinosaur Name Incorrectly Translated All-too-often

[Dinogeorge@aol.com]

In a message dated 96-01-07 19:31:40 EST, mcallist@gate.net (Ray McAllister)
writes:

>       Diplodocus means "double beam" perhaps referring to the long neck 
>and long tail.

Actually, this derives from the shape of the mid-caudal chevron bones, which
have a "double beam" shape: at the bottom of each chevron, there are
processes extending forward and backward (toward the aft process of the
chevron in front, and the fore process of the chevron behind, respectively).
This may have had something to do with the use of the tail as a whiplash.