Re: Discovery could Endanger T.Rex Name

["Ken Kinman" <kinman@hotmail.com>]

   I agree with Nick.  Too late now.  That is why I didn't wait for Dr. 
Hall to publish his resurrection of Micropteron (and Nodus) over the 
well-known genus Mesoplodon (13 or 14 species, as I recall, which is pretty 
large for a whale genus).  When an "authority figure" like Hall unilaterally 
resurrects such forgotten names, especially in that kind of reference book, 
some people will follow it just because he is "an authority", and the longer 
you wait, the harder it is to resolve.  Acting quickly helped to avoid 
confusion.  But as you can imagine, Hall was very irked when I told him the 
rules required him to maintain existing usage until the ICZN made its 
decision (obviously he ignored that rule too).
    I don't know if Apatosaurus met the requirements of a forgotten name, 
but even if it didn't, the ICZN has the final say.  So it certainly isn't 
*impossible* to get it changed back to Brontosaurus, but you would have to 
have a huge mandate to do it now.  Most scientists, and would dare say a 
majority of kids, are now relatively comfortable with Apatosaurus.  The 
result would be a lot of arguing, and confusion, and Apatosaurus would 
almost certainly win out anyway.
    The time to act on such matters is ASAP.  And in this instance, ASAP 
has long since passed.
                         So it goes, Ken
*********************************************************
> From: NJPharris@aol.com
> Reply-To: NJPharris@aol.com
> To: dinosaur@usc.edu
> Subject: Re: Discovery could Endanger T.Rex Name
> Date: Thu, 15 Jun 2000 18:02:49 EDT
>
> In a message dated 6/15/2000 11:17:23 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
> jschneiderman@revelation.lib.unomaha.edu writes:
>
> > The outcome of this may open up another "can of worms"....
> >  Bringing back our favorite thunder lizard "BRONTOSAURUS", instead of 
> the
> >  less favored Apatosaurus.
> >  What do you think?
>
> I think the name _Apatosaurus_ is well-enough established by now that the
> ICZN would never go for the incredible mess that switching back to
> _Brontosaurus_ would precipitate.
>
> Nick
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