RE: Ornitholestes

["Thomas R. Holtz, Jr." <tholtz@geol.umd.edu>]

> From: owner-dinosaur@usc.edu [mailto:owner-dinosaur@usc.edu]On Behalf Of
> Nicholas Gardner
>
> --- Ivan Kwan wrote:
> >I read recently that it has been discovered that _Ornitholestes_
> did not in
> >fact possess a horn/ crest/ protuberance on its snout. How
> accepted is this
> >view? Does this mean that all the restorations of horned _Ornitholestes_
> >erroneous?
>
> I think it's discussed in Rauhut's thesis that _O._ did not have a crest,
> but I don't know if it is widely accepted.

Time will tell if others agree. Please note, though, that outside of Greg
Paul's PDW (and the Hunteria article), there has been almost no discussion
of the situation pro or con.  I am at present inclined to agree with Rauhut,
but would be happy to see data otherwise.

> >And what about _Proceratosaurus_? Is it still considered a close
> relative
> >of _Ornitholestes_, and did it have a horn as well?
> >
>
> I don't think that _P._ has been considered a close relative for
> some time
> now.  Yes, it did still have a crest/horn.

Actually, a couple of recent phylogenetic analyses (my Ostrom Symposium
paper & more recent in press work) recovers this position. On the other
hand, Ollie Rauhut's (the other published analysis that includes
_Procerat._) does not.

                Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
                Vertebrate Paleontologist
Department of Geology           Director, Earth, Life & Time Program
University of Maryland          College Park Scholars
                College Park, MD  20742
http://www.geol.umd.edu/~tholtz/tholtz.htm
http://www.geol.umd.edu/~jmerck/eltsite
Phone:  301-405-4084    Email:  tholtz@geol.umd.edu
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