I disagree that zooarch types don't have holotypes....we most certainly do!
They are the type specimen of the modern animal whose name we are applying to
a bone.
As far as publishing the criteria, it can be as simple as: Following the
criteria of Olsen, 1967, the specimen is Bison, not Bos. If, however, you
use criteria which have not been used before, which is often the case in
fragmentary material, then a careful description is, I believe, mandatory,
and a valuable contribution.
When we are talking about 20,000 Bos bones, one incorrect id doesn't change
the interpretation at all, and is relatively unimportant. If we are talking
about a single critical specimen, such as the large cat being discussed in
another thread, then the method used to identify it is absolutely basic to
publishing it.
Rich White
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