Re: Tsaagan mangas - new dromaeosaurid from Mongolia

["T. Michael Keesey" <keesey@gmail.com>]

On 12/11/06, Jamie Stearns <stearns5@cox.net> wrote:
> I'm just as much for being "multicultural" or whatever as anyone else, but I
> think this critter's reached the "name is too goofy for its own good" point.

I don't see how it's goofy, unless you think the Mongolian language is
goofy. (Personally, I find Dutch much more amusing, but that's just
me.) _Irritator_ is what I would call a goofy name. (And also one of
my favorite dinosaur names.)

Besides, it's descriptive of the animal. Beats "place-name-a-saurus"
in my book. (Although you could make a good defense of
"place-name-a-saurus" names by pointing out that they never turn out
to be inaccurate--unless the animal turns out not to be reptilian, of
course.)
--
T. Michael Keesey
The Dinosauricon: http://dino.lm.com
Parry & Carney: http://parryandcarney.com
ISPN Forum: http://www.phylonames.org/forum/