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RE: Nuthetes and other Purbeck theropods


Tom Holtz wrote:

> Intriguingly, _Nuthetes_ and _Richardoestesia_ could even be basal birds.

If so, _Richardoestesia_ would be the largest Mesozoic bird!! The type
material includes a left dentary that is 19.3 cm long; so you're dealing
with a theropod with a ~30 cm (or longer) skull length.

Even cooler. Though, the dentary of _Richardoestesia_ is quite narrow and slender.

Would _Richardoestesia_ be bigger than a 300-lb ostrich-sized _Gargantuavis_?

(Of course, Greg Paul would assert that therizinosaurs were the biggest Mesozoic birds - and he may be right!)




Tim

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