Re: Re-use a name?

[Adam Yates <zooamy@zoo.latrobe.edu.au>]

On Sat, 28 Jun 1997 Dinogeorge@aol.com wrote:

> Exactly this happened in the recent problem of the correct name for the Ghost
> Ranch theropods. Although these had originally been referred to Coelophysis,
> it subsequently turned out that the material could not be matched to Cope's
> original type specimen of Coelophysis bauri, and Lucas & Hunt (or was it Hunt
> & Lucas?) properly proposed the new name Rioarribasaurus colberti for the
> Ghost Ranch theropods. Unfortunately, because the name Coelophysis bauri had
> been applied for many years to the Ghost Ranch theropods, it had become well
> established among dinosaurologists. There was also considerable unsaid
> politicking involved, because some dinosaurologists simply didn't like the
> name Rioarribasaurus or didn't like Lucas & Hunt. So shortly after the
> replacement name came along, a number of them petitioned the ICZN to change
> the type specimen of Coelophysis bauri from Cope's material to the type
> specimen proposed for Rioarribasaurus colberti. After several years of
> publishing opinions pro and con, the ICZN put the matter to a vote, and in
> the end the Commission voted to reassign the type specimen of Coelophyis
> bauri as petitioned and thus to suppress Rioarribasaurus colberti as a junior
> objective synonym of the former species. This action, incidentally, leaves
> the original Cope material nameless, and I believe some of the people that
> stood behind Rioarribasaurus may eventually propose a new name for Cope's
> material, or at least describe a better specimen under a name different from
> Coelophysis bauri and then refer Cope's material to it.
> 

So you never published the name "Mister threetoes" for the Cope taxon? 
One thing still leaves me a little puzzled by this whole affair, what are 
the differences between the Petrified Forest theropods (that is where 
Cope's stuff was from wasn't it?) and the Ghost Ranch theropods? Are the 
differences only apparent in this better (undescribed?) material you 
refer to?

Adam Yates