Re: Sinornithosaurus & Caudipteryx feathers

["T. Mike Keesey" <tmk@dinosauricon.com>]

On Wed, 21 Mar 2001, Dino Guy and Computer Gal wrote:

> As much as I am very pleased with the recent paper in _Nature_ on
> _Sinornithosaurus_ feathers, it intrigues me that these structures are
> apparently simpler than the integumental (or is it integumentary?)
> structures present on _Caudipteryx_ specimens.  I say this because the
> arrangement of _Caudipteryx_ fibers suggests a central rachis with barbs
> branching off which are presumably held in place by barbules as in the
> case of modern avian remiges and rectrices (flight feathers), albeit
> without the aerodynamic asymmetric barb pattern.  That _Caudipteryx_, a
> putative basal oviraptorosaur, should have more advanced feather design
> than _Sinornithosaurus_, a basal deinonychosaur, is surprising because
> deinonychosaurs are believed to have a more recent common ancestor with
> Avialae than oviraptorosaurs.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't _Apteryx_ (a paleognathan neornithean)
feathers even simpler than those of _Sinornithosaurus_?

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