Re: Back to the dino-bird thang

[Robert J Meyerson <meyersrt@uwec.edu> (Rob Meyerson)]

Tom Holtz wrote:

>Greater love hath no man for dinosaurs than me (equal, perhaps, but not
>greater), but elevating Archosauria to a rank equal to Vertebrata does not
>seem a solution to me.
>
>(For those who aren't aware, Vertebrata is the major subphylum of the
>traditional Phylum Chordata, which also includes the subphyla
>Cephalochordata (lancets) and Urochordata (tunicates)).

All right, all right, I goofed!!!  My knowledge of subdivision terms is
 shaky at best.  I am not suggesting that dinos belong outside of the
 vertebrates.  The point I hoped to make was that I place the terms
 Archosauria and Dinosauria IN BETWEEN the major subdivision of Phylum and
 Class (it just became a lot closer to Class:-).  Under this system, I have
 no difficulty seeing Aves placed at the same level with Saurischia and
 Ornithischia (acknowledging their common ancestry while showing their
 uniquness).

Rob Meyerson
Orphan Vertebrate Paleontologist

***
"Great, he's even sounding like a Vorlon."
        -S.I.