Re: BADD BCF

[Robert.J.Meyerson@uwrf.edu (Rob Meyerson)]

>A preliminary question - is there any evidence of this structure in any bir=
d
>fossil?  If we don't know when it evolved it may be hard to answer the
>question - though I suspect it must have been fairly early in the evolution
>of flight, not so much for airfoil purposes as to control the position of
>the wrist joint.

Actually, if you compare the wing bones of the pigeon I mentioned earlier,=
 to the bones of _Archaeopterix_, we can see the same anchoring structures=
 on the shoulder and wrist (this is part of an independant study, slotted=
 for next semester).  I haven't done all my homework yet, but the=
 preliminary verdict is that Archy did have a patagium after all (requiring=
 a small adaptation of modern reconstructions of the animal).  If I can=
 modestly prove my assertions, I hope to offer a new reconstruction (stay tu=
ned).

Rob

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"Don't panic!"