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Re: Anchiornis huxleyi



Are we sure its a Troodontid?
If its feathers were symmetrical and it was a troodont, then that means 
asymmetry in feathers evolved twice, as Microraptor and birds had/have 
asymmetrical feathers.
Given its really early age, it seems to me this may be a basal Paraves.
Also, did it have an enlarged claw?
I seem to recall that Dromeosaurs and troodontids both shared this feature 
(dromeosaurs with the enlargement being much greater). 
Didn't archie have a slightly enlarged claw as well?
Would a at least slightly enlarged claw be basal to Dromeo+Troodon+birds?
If this didn't have one, would that make it even more basal?

I was thinking Asymetrical feathers would have evolved before the three 
lineages split, given their presence in at least 2 of the lineages (the 3rd 
being a sister taxa of one with asymmetrical feathers).

--- On Fri, 9/25/09, quailspg@frii.com <quailspg@frii.com> wrote:

> From: quailspg@frii.com <quailspg@frii.com>
> Subject: Re: Anchiornis huxleyi
> To: dinosaur@usc.edu
> Date: Friday, September 25, 2009, 1:29 PM
> Sheesh! What's with the over-vigorous
> removal of matrix near the limb
> bones? Doesn't it give preparators a Very Bad Feeling to
> chip away feather
> impressions? I've seen this on other spectacular fossils as
> well.
> 
> > http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8273938.stm
> 
> 
> -- Donna Braginetz
> 
>