Re: Sereno's (2005) new definitions

[Phil Bigelow <bigelowp@juno.com>]

On Fri, 23 Dec 2005 14:24:12 -0600 Tim Williams
<twilliams_alpha@hotmail.com> writes:
> Phil Bigelow wrote:
> 
> >Could someone give an example of a metataxon?
> 
> _Lagosuchus talampayensis_ (type species for _Lagosuchus_) is a 
> metataxon.  
> Sereno and Arcucci (1994; JVP 14: 53-73) declared _L. talampayensis_ 
> to be a 
> nomen dubium.
> 
> The fact that the _L. talampayensis_ material lacks autapomorphies 
> is alone 
> insufficient justification to declare the species a nomen dubium, 
> IMHO.  The 
> situation is complicated by the suggestion that the holotype for _L. 
> 
> talampayensis_ may be a composite of more than one species,


So a metataxon lacks recognizable autapomorphies (autapomorphies =
derivations common to its supposed "group").

And in the case of a nomen dubium, the material is not accompanied by an
adequate definition of its uniqueness, or the material is considered
otherwise unidentifiable.

I can see where a neophyte could confuse these two terms.


Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah to all.

<pb>
--
"Am I crazy, Jerry?  Am I?  Or, I am SO sane that you just blew your
mind?!" - Kramer