Re: What is gen. indet. imperfectus?

[Dinogeorge@aol.com]

In a message dated 11/21/99 10:56:16 PM EST, sarima@ix.netcom.com writes:

<< I doubt this is what is meant by the cited text.  I suspect it means
 "imperfect material of indeterminate genus", and is not intended as a
 *name* at all.  In Latin adjectives often follow the noun modified  (heck,
 that is why the species name is second in scientific names).  So, I think
 you would do better to just read this as a bit of Latin text. >>

Unfortunately, I can't check my papers because they're buried in boxes right 
now, but I think Rozhdestvensky is one person who interpreted this as an 
actual species epithet and not an adjective, perhaps in the 1966 paper in 
which he classified Sanpasaurus as a sauropod. In Tracy Ford's file I have 
the following as the holotype of the species:

Holotype: IVPP V220

Locality: Locality 6, Kuantsaishan, near Houchiatsun, about 5 km NW of the 
Weiyuan City, China.

Horizon: Kuangyuan Series, Middle Jurassic.

Material: An anterior caudal vertebra, a distal end of a left femur, a left 
tibia, a right fibula, and right foot with a few elements missing.

(Locality data are as for Sanpasaurus yaoi.) I dimly recall seeing Young's 
original paper on this, and it looked to me as if he were creating a species 
named Gen indet. imperfectus in it. Would have to see the paper again to be 
sure, though.