[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index][Subject Index][Author Index]

Re: ADV: Re: Classification: A nightmare :)



>  > How would defining "Brachiosaurus" *as* "FMNH P 25017" cause
>  > difficulty or information loss?


*has a nightmarish thought*

see below.


> I see where you're coming from, but do you really want to take away
> the ability of field-workers in Utah to say "we've found a new
> Brachiosaurus specimen"?

Well, in practise, isn't what they're really saying much closer to
"we've found something, and based on the parts of it that are sticking
out of the rocks and various not-too-severely-weathered indicators and
the general cut of its jib, we think it's least dissimilar to
Brachiosaurus"?

I can see it now, a paleontologist (professional or not) being interviewed spur-of-the-moment on the dig site...
"yes, we've found an FMMH 90335 - no, wait, its a FMNH 90...um, hey Hank, what's the number?"

_________________________________________________________________
Catch suspicious messages before you open them?with Windows Live Hotmail. http://imagine-windowslive.com/hotmail/?locale=en-us&ocid=TXT_TAGHM_migration_HM_mini_protection_0507