Re: K/T : Cretaceous

[jlipps@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Jere H. Lipps)]

In these types of nomenclatorial debates, I find Roland Wibur Brown's
"Composition of scientific words.  A manual of methods and a lexicon of
materials for the practice of logotechnics", published by the author in
1954 and revised in 1956 to solve most of the problems.  The book is also a
fantastic reference source for composing new names (hopefully not of more
periods or eras, but of species, genera, etc.).  All paleontologists should
own a copy.

He says (p. 238)  "creta, L. chalk; cretula, dim.; cretaceous, chalky,
limy".

He says nothing about "K", nor do I know.  I have been trying, however, to
find out where and when it was first used and why.  Surely the comment
about it being used as a symbol to differentiate it from other C-words is
correct.  But who decided it?  Is it official?  Etc.