Re: Feathered Dragons: Studies on the Transition from Dinosaurs to Birds

["David Marjanovic" <david.marjanovic@gmx.at>]

>   I beg to differ. *Epidendrosaurus* is preserved with the first toe of
> one leg in the same direction as the others, and no metatarsal to show
> "proper" articulation. *Scansoriopteryx* is preserved with one foot having
> the metatarsal preserved, and the toe is in opposition to the others. This
> is, barring theories on twisting and how a distally positioned digit MUST
> be evidence of an anisodactyl arrangement (unproven), fairly equivocal.

Oh yes -- but the position of mt I, namely at the distal end of the
metatarsus, and the great length of its toe are pretty convincing.

> Aside from this, absence of a reverted hallux in other theropods does not
> preclude their being able to climb or be in a tree ... it only prohibits
> "effective" perching and grasping on branches two-leggedly.

:-) That's what I mean. It makes an arboreal lifestyle rather improbable.