Re: Specific names

[Michael de Sosa <ofsosa@uclink4.berkeley.edu>]

Wow!  Thanks Fred!

Is there a website or other resource that gives the translations in
as much detail as these?  I imagine some of the stories behind
dinosaur names might be pretty interesting.

fredericus ruhe wrote:

> I can give you the meaning of two of the names you've asked for:
>
> Caudipteryx zoui
> Caudipteryx means 'tail feather'
> zoui
> refers to Zou Jiahua, vice-premier of China and avid supporter of the
> scientific work in Liaoning.
>
> Patagopteryx deferrariisi
> Patagopteryx: Patagon, Spanish, in reference to Patagonia, the region of
> Argentina where the fossils were collected, meaning "big foot", a term once
> applied to the Amerindian inhabitants of the area; pteryx, Greek, wing,
> feminine.
> deferrariisi
> The specific name is in homage to Professor Oscar de Ferrariis, Director,
> Museo de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional del Comahue, who was
> responsible for the collection of the specimens.

--
Michael A. de Sosa
Undergraduate Student
University of California - Berkeley
ofsosa@uclink4.berkeley.edu

"Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend.
Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."
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