Re: Naming conventions (was: Re: Allosaurus fragilis vs. "Creosaurus" atrox)

["Jaime A. Headden" <qilongia@yahoo.com>]

<What does "Utahraptor" tell you about the animal?  Is it a thief from
Utah (or worse, a thief who stole Utah???)?  Do we have any reason to
believe this animal stole anything?>

  No, no reason.  _Raptor_ means "snatcher" or "seizer", not "theif"
or "stealer"; that's _lestes_.  The name can be literally trasnlated
as "Utah snatcher", and this can be taken both as the "snatcher of
Utah" or "snatcher of Utah", the latter which was, I believe, the
original purpose of the name: a raptor (a dromaeosaur, basically) from
Utah.  The same probably applies to "Wyomingraptor".

<Velociraptor, IIRC, was first found in the vicinity of a
Protoceratops nest in the Gobi.  Oviraptor was similarly found sitting
on eggs.  Was this also true with Utahraptor?  With Wyomingraptor?  If
not, why use the name?  Why not name it something descriptive instead
of cashing in on the ridiculous popularity of "raptors?">

  Because it's ridiculously popular? Like Bob Bakker?

  Jaime A. Headden
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