Re: Feduccia (was: polarity of bipedality in dinosaurs)

[Stan Friesen <swf@ElSegundoCA.NCR.COM>]

 From: Jeffrey Martz <martz@holly.ColoState.EDU>
 > 1. Are integument feathers NECCESSARY for endothermic thermoregulation?

No, at least not in animals larger than some critical size.

 > 2. How many Archaeopteryx/early bird specimens are known to possess
 > them 

All Achaeopteryx specimens have feathers, but virtually none of the other
early bird specimens do.

 > 3. How many theropods are known to have skin impressions?
 >  How many have 

Very few.

 >    definite scales, and how many show features which are very odd, and 
 >    possibly suggestive of feathers?

The *only* one that has anything that is not clearly "scaly" is the
ornithomomid skin.

swf@elsegundoca.ncr.com         sarima@ix.netcom.com

The peace of God be with you.