Unicerosaurus

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"Unicerosaurus" is a nomen nudum coined by creation scientist Carl Baugh.[1] It has never been formally described. Baugh had claimed that "Unicerosaurus" was a dinosaur, but this was rejected by Canadian geologist John R. Armstrong in a 1987 article, which identified the fossil as the neural spine of a fish.[1][2][3] Its name derives from a mixture of Latin and Greek, Uni- "one", κερας/cera- "horn" and σαυρος/saurus "lizard". Although "Unicerosaurus" has appeared in various lists of dinosaurs, it is not considered a valid genus by mainstream paleontologists.[4][5]

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[edit] History

In 1982, a former Baptist minister, Carl Baugh, began excavations on the limestone beds of the Paluxy River, near Glen Rose, Texas, which contained dinosaur tracks as well as tracks resembling those of human footprints. Beginning in the early 1900s, these tracks had been proclaimed as evidence of dinosaurs living alongside mankind, but various studies over the years had concluded that the supposed human footprints were "forms of elongate dinosaur tracks, while others were selectively highlighted erosional markings, and still others (on loose blocks) probable carvings."[6]

Baugh believed the tracks were direct evidence of Young Earth Creationism, and made appearances at local Paluxy churches and schools; in 1984, he established the Creation Evidence Museum, with a collection of the fossil footprints, augmented by vertebrate and invertebrate fossils found at the northern edge of Somervell County, Texas. Amongst the collection were fossils attributed to various dinosaur genera, including a mislabled pubis and ischium assigned to Acrocanthosaurus, and a solitary "Y-shaped" fossil assigned the name "Unicerosaurus".[3]

In September of 1987, the only publication on "Unicerosaurus" appeared when ordained deacon and geologist John Armstrong published an article in the Creation/Evolution Newsletter, a publication of the National Center for Science Education. The article describes the fossil as a "Y-shaped petrified bone that appears to be the neural spine from a hugh[sic] fish like the Portheus of Niobrara Chalk [...] declared to be the forehead horn of a newly discovered dinosaur genus".[3] The museum stated the "horn" belonged to "the unicorn of Job 38, one of three dinosaurs mentioned in Scripture; the others being behemoth and leviathan of Job 40 and 41", and that the horn was able to fold back like the blade of a jack knife.[3]

Baugh and other creation scientists have stated that Behemoth corresponds to a sauropod dinosaur like Brontosaurus, and that Leviathan may have been something like the Loch Ness Monster.[7] While some Young Earth Creationists believe in these theories, Baugh's "Unicerosaurus" never caught on amongst Young Earth Creationists. Taken seriously by neither Christian organizations nor the scientific community, both the fossil and the name "Unicerosaurus" have remained obscure footnotes, and the name has not appeared in print since its original publication, except where it has been mentioned in various lists of dinosaurs, or in books which have a section on invalid genera.[4][5]

[edit] Status as a nomen nudum

"Unicerosaurus" is a nomen nudum, a name that has appeared in print but which has not yet been formally published by the standards of the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature, the organization responsible for "governing the application of scientific names to all organisms which are treated as animals." Article 13.4 of the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature states that proposed names for new genera between 1930 and 1999 must have been "marked by gen. nov., sp. nov. or an equivalent expression", showing intent to erect a scientific name.[8] This would prevent typographical errors and other mistakes to be regarded as nomina nuda. The 1987 article describes the find as a purported "new genus of dinosaur", so the name likely qualifies as a nomen nudum, which, by convention, appears in quotation marks.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Olshevsky, George (2000). Mesozoic Meanderings: An Annotated Checklist of Dinosaur Species by Continent. San Diego: Publications Requiring Research.
  2. ^ Poling, Jeff (2004). DML Dinosaur Genera List. Retrieved January 6, 2007.
  3. ^ a b c d Armstrong, John R. (1987). Creation/Evolution Newsletter 7 5:21; Geolog. 16, Part 4.
  4. ^ a b Lessem, D., and Glut, D.F. (1993). "Not A Dinosaur", The Dinosaur Society Dinosaur Encyclopedia. Random House, Inc., xxxvi-xxxviii. ISBN 0-679-41770-2. 
  5. ^ a b Glut, D.F. (1997). "Excluded Genera", Dinosaurs: The Encyclopedia. McFarland & Company, 1005-1010. ISBN 0-89950-917-7. 
  6. ^ Kuban, G (1995). On the Heels of Dinosaurs. TalkOrigins.org. Retrieved on 2007-04-28.
  7. ^ Bassett, D.V. (2007). Sea Monsters and Flying Serpents - Still Alive Since Day 5. Creation Evidence Museum. Retrieved on 2007-05-08.
  8. ^ Ride, W.D.L. (1999). International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature, Fourth edition. International Trust for Zoological Nomenclature. Retrieved on 2007-05-08.

[edit] External links

Dinosaurs Portal