RE: Expanding the Known Oviraptoverse

[Jaime Headden <qi_leong@hotmail.com>]

Idiotically, I forgot to do something I should have in the beginning: provide 
the citation and abstract.

Sullivan, R. M., Jasinksi, S. E. & van Tomme, M. P. A. 2011. A new caenagnathid 
Ojoraptorsaurus boerei, n. gen., n. sp. (Dinosauria, Oviraptorosauria), from 
the Upper Cretaceous Ojo Alamo Formation (Naashoibito Member), San Juan Basin, 
New Mexico. in Sullivan et al. (eds.) The Fossil Record, volume 3. New Mexico 
Museum of Natural History and Science, Bulletin 53:418-428.

Abstract—A nearly complete pair of pubes is identified as a new caenagnathid 
oviraptorosaur, *Ojoraptorsaurus boerei,* n. gen., n. sp., based on having a 
“spoon-shaped” depression on the anterior dorsal surface of the pubic boot, an 
elongated anterior process of the pubic boot, a recessed enclosed pubic fossa, 
the distal end of the pubic shaft convex anteriorly, and a sub-trapezoidal 
pubic peduncle articulation surface. Ojoraptorsaurus boerei is most similar to 
ROM 43250 (previously assigned to *Chirostenotes pergracilis* Gilmore) from the 
Horseshoe Canyon Formation (upper Campanian-lower Maastrichtian) of Alberta, 
Canada, but differs from it in having a pubic fossa that is lower on the shaft, 
a trapezoidal-shaped articulation surface of the pubes, a shorter shaft length 
and in being more robust. ROM 43250 is placed in a new genus and species, 
*Epichirostenotes curriei,* that is much younger than *Chirostenotes 
pergracilis* (sensu stricto), which may include the holotype of *Macrophalangia 
canadensis* (CMN 8538) and a referred specimen TMP 79.20.1, all of which are 
from the Dinosaur Park Formation and predate *E. curriei* by nearly 3 million 
years. The holotype specimen of *Epichirostenotes curriei* (ROM 43250) differs 
morphologically from *Chirostenotes pergracilis* (sensu stricto), based on TMP 
79.20.1, in features of the ischium. We note minor differences in the 
morphology of the left manus of the holotype of *Chirostenotes pergracilis* 
(CMN 2367) compared to TMP 79.20.1, suggesting that these two may not be 
conspecific. *Ojoraptorsaurus boerei* is from the Naashoibito Member of the Ojo 
Alamo Formation, San Juan Basin, New Mexico, and is part of the Alamo Wash 
local fauna. This fauna is considered to be 69 Ma and thus is early 
Maastrichtian in age. *Ojoraptorsaurus boerei* represents the southern-most 
occurrence of a caenagnathid in North America. It is the first and  only known 
caenagnathid from New Mexico and from the lower Maastrichtian of North America.

  Now, I want to note something particular that I did not want to do on my 
blogpost, because I do it ... to death. But I need to carefully reiterate it 
here lest it seem I am being unfair: On my blogpost, I argue that Sullivan et 
al. push the boundaries of recognizing taxa to raise taxonomy, which I think is 
fair of me to say. I think they also have that right, and will use the provided 
taxonomy. I will treat their nomenclature as a species contained by a least 
inclusive clade, especially a two-part uninomial, or binomen with species and 
"prenomen" qualifiers. Sullivan et al. use the term "genus," and while I 
disagree on the value and efficacy of rank-based nomenclature, the function of 
their nomenclature is useful. So let me be clear: I think that the function of 
the "genus" in this system is useful, for a few reasons, and I think those 
reasons are the same as that which Tim and Mickey both see it as -- I simply 
try to divorce the functional from the conceptual, where the functional is 
primarily based on language, and is effectively the same as the least inclusive 
clade rooted on a species, or a "prenomen" -- the conceptual is based on the 
"function" of a rank, and I think any attempt to salvage it will fail because 
of this baggage. Getting rid of the term and keeping the functionality is 
likely to be hard, but so will adoption of a ICZN-ICBN-free nomenclature 
system, and that's getting rolling.

  So that's what I'm going to call these names, LICs (Least Inclusive Clades).

Cheers,

  Jaime A. Headden
  The Bite Stuff (site v2)
  http://qilong.wordpress.com/

"Innocent, unbiased observation is a myth." --- P.B. Medawar (1969)


"Ever since man first left his cave and met a stranger with a
different language and a new way of looking at things, the human race
has had a dream: to kill him, so we don't have to learn his language or
his new way of looking at things." --- Zapp Brannigan (Beast With a Billion 
Backs)


----------------------------------------
> From: qi_leong@hotmail.com
> To: dinosaur@usc.edu
> Subject: Expanding the Known Oviraptoverse
> Date: Tue, 26 Jul 2011 09:03:58 -0600
>
>
>   Over at Theropoda (http://theropoda.blogspot.com/) Andrea Cau has a new 
> post up about the recent issue of volume 53 of the NMMNHS Bulletin, 
> specifically a paper by Sullivan and others describing two new oviraptorosaur 
> taxa, *Ojoraptorsaurus boerei* and *Epichirostenotes curriei*. These new taxa 
> are based on a new and an old specimen, respectively, including what was 
> formerly known as *Chirostenotes* sp. and based on ROM 43250.
>
>   I've taken a shot at reviewing this paper in the broader sense at my blog, 
> specifically here: 
> http://qilong.wordpress.com/2011/07/26/expanding-the-known-oviraptoverse/ .
>
> Cheers,
>
> Jaime A. Headden
> The Bite Stuff (site v2)
> http://qilong.wordpress.com/
>
> "Innocent, unbiased observation is a myth." --- P.B. Medawar (1969)
>
>
> "Ever since man first left his cave and met a stranger with a
> different language and a new way of looking at things, the human race
> has had a dream: to kill him, so we don't have to learn his language or
> his new way of looking at things." --- Zapp Brannigan (Beast With a Billion 
> Backs)
>