RE: Suchosaurus, Baryonyx and Martinavis

[Tim Williams <twilliams_alpha@hotmail.com>]

> ERIC BUFFETAUT. 2007. The spinosaurid dinosaur Baryonyx (Saurischia,
> Theropoda) in the Early Cretaceous of Portugal. Geological Magazine,
> Published online by Cambridge University Press 11 Sep 2007


On a nomenclatural note, there does not seem to be any real prospect of 
_Suchosaurus_ replacing the name _Baryonyx_, even 
though _Suchosaurus_ was named first.  First of all, the type species for 
_Suchosaurus_ is _S. cultridens_, the type specimen of 
which is a tooth (Wealden, Cuckfield, Sussex).  The tooth is probably 
baryonychine, and may even belong to _Baryonyx_ 
(Milner, 2003), but it is perhaps not diagnostic at the genus or species level. 
 (Then again, the same is true for _Troodon_ and 
_Carcharodontosaurus_.)


Buffertaut's own opinion on this is: "_Suchosaurus_ could be regarded as a 
senior synonym of _Baryonyx_.  However, the type 
specimen of _Suchosaurus cultridens_ has a strongly ribbed labial surface 
whereas the teeth of the holotype of _Baryonyx 
walkeri_ are smooth, or nearly completely so, labially, so that it cannot be 
excluded that they belong to distinct taxa... 
Moreover, as the type specimen of _Suchosaurus cultridens_ is a worn isolated 
tooth, whereas _Baryonyx walkeri_ is based on 
a large part of a skeleton, for practical purposes it seems advisable to go on 
using the generic name _Baryonyx_ instead of 
_Suchosaurus_."


Cheers

Tim
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