Misnomers (was: OH NO! NOT RAPTORS AGAIN!)

[RaptorRKC@aol.com]

Peter:

The major dinosaur groups (Ornithopoda, Theropoda, Sauropoda, Saurischia,
Ornithischia) were all named before dinosaurs were too well known, so most of
them are misnomers.  Saurischia and Ornithischia aren't very useful
terminologies, either, since ornithischians evolved from dinosaurs with the
"lizard-hip" condition and some saurischians (dromaeosaurs/birds,
therizinosauroids) evolved the "bird-hip" condition.  However, we have to put
up with these inappropriate names no matter how much they don't apply to the
animals that carry them.

Rachel Clark