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Re: Flight



Bill Barbour wrote:

>And what is the physiological evidence that archaeopteryx was a climber? Is
>it definitive or speculative in nature?

The hallux or big toe in _Archaeopteryx_ is opposed, which makes it easier
to cling onto branches; as opposed to theropods whos feet are composed of
non-opposable toes. Also the claws on _Archaeopteryx_ are apropos, since
they are very clean i.e. not abraided, which has been proposed to indicate
minimal contact with the ground, supposedly.

Chris

cnedin@geology.adelaide.edu.au,   nedin@ediacara.org
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Many say it was a mistake to come down from the trees, some say
the move out of the oceans was a bad idea. Me, I say the stiffening
of the notochord in the Cambrian was where it all went wrong,
it was all downhill from there.