Re: D. brevitertius and D. samueli

["Jaime A. Headden" <qilongia@yahoo.com>]

Tommy Bradley (htomsirveaux@mybluelight.com) wrote:

<Once again, I could use a bit of help with Dromiceiomimus' two species
names: D. brevitertius and D. samueli.  I know brevitertius means "Short
third," but to what is it referring?  The third metatarsal?>

  Actually, "brevitertius" comes from the Latin adverb, _breviter_,
meaning "shortly; briefly"; we get "brevity" from this. A short period,
length, duration, extent, etc., probably in reference to the smallish size
of this particular ornithomimosaur; similarly, _brevitas_ for "in brief"
or "shortness". As for Samueli, I am not sure.

  Cheers,

=====
Jaime A. Headden

  Little steps are often the hardest to take.  We are too used to making leaps 
in the face of adversity, that a simple skip is so hard to do.  We should all 
learn to walk soft, walk small, see the world around us rather than zoom by it.

"Innocent, unbiased observation is a myth." --- P.B. Medawar (1969)

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