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Subject: Two Dinosaurs Erased from Lists From: Just Joan posted Sun, Nov 1 2009, 8:41pm  I remember questioning the maturity of a dinosaur specimen somewhere on this site a long time ago and being assured that I was asking a moot question. It was not in regard to either of these specimens, but it's nice to know that asking such a thing is indeed valid as this article shows. (Yay me!) Linkeroonie: Two Dinosaur Species Erased from History Books October 30, 2009 This just in from UC Berkeley: Paleontologists from the University of California, Berkeley, and the Museum of the Rockies have wiped out two species of dome-headed dinosaur, one of them named three years ago – with great fanfare – after Hogwarts, the school attended by Harry Potter. Their demise comes after a three-horned dinosaur, Torosaurus, was assigned to the dustbin of history last month at the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology meeting in the United Kingdom, the loss in recent years of quite a few duck-billed hadrosaurs and the probable disappearance of Nanotyrannus, a supposedly miniature Tyrannosaurus rex. These dinosaurs were not separate species, as some paleontologists claim, but different growth stages of previously named dinosaurs, according to a new study. The confusion is traced to their bizarre head ornaments, ranging from shields and domes to horns and spikes, which changed dramatically with age and sexual maturity, making the heads of youngsters look very different from those of adults. "Juveniles and adults of these dinosaurs look very, very different from adults, and literally may resemble a different species," said dinosaur expert Mark B. Goodwin, assistant director of UC Berkeley's Museum of Paleontology. "But some scientists are confusing morphological differences at different growth stages with characteristics that are taxonomically important. The result is an inflated number of dinosaurs in the late Cretaceous." Images and more information are at UC Berkeley News. Neato, eh? Joan Subject: Re: Two Dinosaurs Erased from Lists From: badger man posted Mon, Nov 2 2009, 8:43pm  Their demise comes after a three-horned dinosaur, Torosaurus, was assigned to the dustbin of history last month I didn't hear about this. What is it now? I ask because this is the Milwaukee Museum's main dino skeleton. Subject: Re: Two Dinosaurs Erased from Lists From: Just Joan posted Tue, Nov 3 2009, 12:59pm  I don't know yet what it is now, as it's only a few days old of "news". That spinning thigh bone display is pretty cool, hey? I love how heavy the real bone is by comparison to the pretend bone. Subject: Re: Two Dinosaurs Erased from Lists From: badger man posted Tue, Nov 3 2009, 6:44pm  It's been way to long since I've been there but that's one of the things I remember. Subject: Re: Two Dinosaurs Erased from Lists From: Hawkwolf posted Tue, Nov 3 2009, 1:02pm  The current thinking is that Torosaurus is actually a fairly old Triceratops (old as in mature). It may even represent a single gender of mature Triceratops. I'm no expert, but ... apparently the case for both findings ( the Pachycephalosaurs and Torosaurs) is fairly convincing to those who are experts. Subject: Re: Two Dinosaurs Erased from Lists From: tonyc posted Tue, Nov 3 2009, 1:18pm  I brought this up last year with Ozraptor4 who took a different view and had some convincing back-up evidence Subject: Re: Two Dinosaurs Erased from Lists From: riverrat posted Wed, Nov 4 2009, 4:19pm  I watched this on Discovery, and it's amazing, but an obvious fact that has been over looked and scoffed at for too long.

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