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Science

eppur_se_muova

(39,476 posts)

3. *Very* strange interpretation of that Linnean binomial -- "dactylus" refers to finger, and that's a good Scots name ...

Reply to Judi Lynn (Original post)

Thu Jul 10, 2025, 05:47 PM

Jul 10

"Eos" was* the Greek goddess of the dawn, and "eo" is a common prefix for "early". The rest of it's unfamiliar to me, but those two boo-boos are glaringly obvious -- "pterodactyl" means "wing-finger", reflecting the structure of their wings, and every 10yo dinosaur gnurd knows that.

"mcintireae" obviously honors someone named McIntire (which translates as "son of carpenter", so no out there), possibly the owner of the land on which the fossil was found, or a fossil collector, a preparator, or even just a colleague -- all traditional forms of respectful acknowledgement in paleontology.

Anyone with a little authority in the classics is welcome to correct me.

*Still may be, for all I know. Not my bailiwick.

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Scientists discover 200-million-year-old flying reptile species [View all] Judi Lynn Jul 10 OP

The early bird catches the fish! nt BWdem4life Jul 10 #1

lol AllaN01Bear Jul 10 #2

*Very* strange interpretation of that Linnean binomial -- "dactylus" refers to finger, and that's a good Scots name ... eppur_se_muova Jul 10 #3