Re: Quetzalcoatlus

[Dinogeorge@aol.com]

In a message dated 5/4/00 0:21:50 AM EST, sarima@friesen.net writes:

<< Strictly this makes the second paper the formal definition.  The relevant 
 rule in ICZN says a species or genus definition must contain a differential 
 diagnosis *or* *refer* to one.
 
 Lawson 1975b appears to meet this requirement, provided it actually refers 
 to Lawson 1975a.
 
 
 So, I think we have
 _Quetzalcoatlus northropi_ Lawson, 1975 >>

There is one further factor to consider. Under the 1985 ICZN (and, 
presumably, under the latest edition, 2000) this does work and permits us to 
remove the nomen nudum from the name Quetzalcoatlus northropi. But in 1975, 
when the name was created, the ICZN edition in force was the one issued at 
the beginning of 1964, the second edition, and, although I don't have a copy 
of that code to check, it may have been stricter about what was an acceptable 
format for the publication of a new genus and species than the code now in 
effect. I distinctly recall several pterosaur workers being miffed that 
Quetzalcoatlus was "technically" not a validly published name.