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Re: Rauhut's Thesis
At 03:19 PM 7/6/2001, Danvarner@aol.com wrote:
<< On
another note, why do we find out about finds from remote parts of the
world and get preliminary descriptions of them within a year, yet wait
ten
plus years for descriptions of animals found within 500 km of well
established museums? ;-) >>
You mean like Archaeoraptor? DV
No, I was referring to Sereno's finds in Africa, recent finds in
Madagascar, Paralititan, etc. All of these were carefully excavated
and looked at by experienced people. Archeoraptor was bought at a
rock and gem show, with little information about where it came from (not
to mention exported illegally). It was carefully researched by many
people who threw down (up? out?) red flags right, left, and centre about
the specimen. Please read the National Geographic blame
game/apology article for the full story (this is to the list, not Dan),
if you are interested.
I know there are trends in palaeontology, just like anywhere else.
Currently, there seems to be some favourtism towards animals from exotic
locals. I know there are finds in museums in Montana, Alberta,
Utah, New Mexico, Saskatchewan, England, and others in places closer to
museums than is, say, the Kem Kem. Yet we hear about these finds
first and are still waiting for descriptions of the bulldog faced
dromaeosaur, the good MOR Troodon skeleton, new Saurornitholestes
material, an apatosaur graveyard for juveniles, and others. I
certainly don't think science should be compromised for the sake of
publishing new names (like was done 100 odd years ago), but I get the
impression that journals want the prestige of publishing new material
from "way over there". Am I wrong?
By the way, I am in no way saying that material from exotic locals should
not be published on with expedience, in fact I like to read about it as
much as the next person, I am just wondering if it is not at the expense
of important (but not media grabbing) material that is more local (that
is to museums/universities, not to me here in dinosaur starved southern
Ontario, Canada).
Darryl Jones <dinoguy@sympatico.ca>
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