Re: Mongolian dinosaur inspires religion in grad student

[nino@ccuam3.sdi.uam.es]

At 15:48 2/10/96 -0500,  DinoGeorge wrote:

>Before we go any further into this, just what is Alvarezsauridae these days?
>Yes, I know it contains _Alvarezsaurus_(!), but I've seen it bruited about
>that _Mononykus_ and _Patagonykus_ are in this family, too. On comparing
>_Mononykus_ with _Alvarezsaurus_ from published illustrations and
>photographs, I see precious few similarities, and I don't see how these two
>forms are confamilial; more data is needed, if you please. Inclusion of
>_Mononykus_ in Alvarezsauridae would >have< to affect these cladograms in
>some way.

You are right. I also think that the published illustration of
_Alvarezsaurus_ and _Mononykus_ shows specimens very diferent between them.
Nevertheless, this idea came out from Fernando Novas (who will describe
_Patagonykus_, and maybe describe again _Alvarezsaurus_, based on in more
complete material), who is probably the right person to do it.

>Also, including _Compsognathus_ and therezinosauroids in the same low-level
>clade is completely absurd. What could >possibly< be the basis for this? -->
>
>>                    |  +-Alvarezsauridae
>>                   +--+
>>                      +-Therizinosauroidea+Compsognathus

Again, you are right. I also wants to know the reasons to do this.


Bernardino P. Perez-Moreno                   Fax: 34-1-3978344
Unidad de Paleontologia                      E-mail: Nino@ccuam3.sdi.uam.es
Departamento de Biologia                     Phone: 34-1-3978139 
Facultad de Ciencias
Universidad Autonoma de Madrid
28049 - Madrid
SPAIN