Thank you, David, for an informative and thoughtful reply. I apologize to
everyone for the ad-hominem tone of my previous message.

This might be a good place to say more generally that "amateur" and
"professional" researchers are treated alike when they name new genera and
species. There are no special allowances made for ignorance, inexperience,
or lack of resources. Or indeed for a professor's need to publish papers
quickly in order to gain tenure. We must all try for the highest standards
of which we are capable.

Andrew K. Rindsberg
Geological Survey of Alabama