Re: linguistic analogy

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

Nick Pharris writes;

>Many features make birds "different enough" for their own category,
>Aves.  But that category, Aves, is still part of Dinosauria (and
>Theropoda, Maniraptora, etc.).

If we place the Dinosauria taxa at a superclass level, then I'll
agree with you.

>> Assuming that whales did evolve from ungulates, I suggest that since there 
>> has
>> been no evolution of new features, just modification and reduction of 
>> previously
>> existing ones, then whales and ungulates to belong together.
>
>I have two responses to this:
>
>1)  Whales have evolved a whole host of new features.  Echolocation, for
>one (secondarily lost in baleen whales), and flukes, and dorsal fins, and
>many modifications to the lungs.

I'll concede your echolocation and fluke points.  However, the rest
are simply the result of modifying existing structures.

>2)  All of the "new features" of birds are just modifications of those
>found in other maniraptorans.  Several dinosaurs have been found with good
>sterna, BTW.

O.K.  If there is a pre-Archy dino that has a decent sternum, I'll
agree.

Rob

***
"Don't panic."