Re: Expanding the Known Oviraptoverse

[Tim Williams <tijawi@gmail.com>]

Jaime Headden <qi_leong@hotmail.com> wrote:

> Yes ... but the name is clearly formed as *Ojoraptorsaurus*. No conjoining 
> vowel. While the intention may have been to "modify" "Oviraptorosauria," the 
> effective function was to combine Ojo + raptor +
> saurus: Ojo [Alamo Formation] plunderer lizard. I would have prefered 
> "Placenameasaurus" in this case, or at least gone with a trend and tried 
> "Ojoraptor." A jolly little thief, rather.


For some reason, in defiance of ancient Greek practice, conjoining
vowels are apparently optional (_Sinraptor_, _Gigantspinosaurus_,
_Ojoraptorsaurus_, etc).  Homer would be horrified.  (The poet, not
the Simpson.)


Lest this post be nothing more than a bitch about nomenclature, I
hasten to add that I can understand why Jaime has such an obsession
with oviraptorosaurs.  They really were/are fascinating animals.
Although these two fossils don't add a great deal to the
Oviraptoverse, this is a group that is extremely diverse, and includes
a range of taxa from tiny _Caenagnathasia_ to the massive
_Gigantoraptor_.  I only wish we had more than just jawbones for
_Caenagnathasia_ (and since these appear to have been lost, we don't
even have these anymore).  I'd really like to know if this little
maniraptoran shows any scansorial/arboreal adaptations similar to
_Microraptor_ or _Epidendrosaurus_.




Cheers

Tim