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Re: Tsaagan mangas - new dromaeosaurid from Mongolia




I'm inclined to disagree. I like these non-classical names borrowed from the local culture. Why should our long-dead toga-wearing friends have a monopoly on providing names for new genera and species? :-)

For example, I enjoy the way many Australian taxa (living and fossil) are receiving Aboriginal names, like _Kakuru_, _Yurlunggur_ and _Ningaui_. They beat hands-down those dusty old names like _Rhoetosaurus_, _Palorchestes_ and _Hypsiprymnodon_. Turning to Mongolia, I think _Tsaagan_, _Khaan_, _Citipati_, _Shuvuuia_ &c are all terrific monikers. Nothing against _Velociraptor_ and _Oviraptor_ and so forth; but it's good to see some linguistic diversity, IMHO.

I agree.

though I suspect he had nothing against the *Tsaagan* part, but rather against the *mangas* part.

I know I did a double-take at that specific name.

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