Re: Definitions

["Nicholas J. Pharris" <pharrinj@PLU.edu>]

On Sat, 27 Jan 1996, Virginia Tidwell wrote:

>   Many thanks to those who provided answers to my vertebral question.  
> One more area of confusion lately has been in the terms: maniraptorial 
> and sinraptor, obviously having to do with the hands of theorpods. Any 
> enlightenment on these terms would be much appreciated.
> 
>                 Virginia Tidwell
> 

The Maniraptora is a badly-derived name coined by Gauthier for the group 
containing dromaeosaurs and birds (and intended to exclude, for instance, 
ornithomimosaurs, which are actually most likely closer to birds than 
dromaeosaurs are!  But anyway...).

_Sinraptor_ is a theropod from China described in 1993 by Currie and Zhao 
(or was it Zhao and Currie?).  It is closely related to 
_Yangchuanosaurus_, and these two animals form the basis of the 
Sinraptoridae.  The name means "Chinese robber."

Nick Pharris
Pacific Lutheran University
Tacoma, WA 98447
(206)535-8204
PharriNJ@PLU.edu

"If you can't convince them, confuse them." -- Harry S. Truman