Re: Campbell's even crazier than a MANIAC? (archeopteryx climbing)

[jrc <jrccea@bellsouth.net>]

No significant predators within their range?  Probably a different reason or 
reasons for every species that has lost the ability for flight.
JimC

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Sim Koning" <simkoning@msn.com>
To: <DINOSAUR@usc.edu>
Sent: Friday, September 26, 2008 1:10 AM
Subject: RE: Campbell's even crazier than a MANIAC? (archeopteryx climbing)


> I was just thinking, when I brought up ratites and why they lost their 
> wing/flight feathers, I forgot about Rheas for some reason. Rheas still 
> have large wings that I remember reading are used as sails. If this is the 
> case, it is evidence of the benefit wings may give a running animal. But 
> why did so many other cursorial flightless birds lose their flight 
> feathers and show reduced wings?