Re: Pelecanimimus and Sinosauropteryx

[Jeffrey Martz <martz@holly.ColoState.EDU>]

     Thom Quinn noted that feathers in modern birds serve a wide variety
of functions.  It is generally assumed that feathers orignally evolved for
either flight or thermoregulation, but the hairlike proto-rachis that
begins development like a scale in modern birds is more like a bristle
then a pennaceous or plumaceous feather.  Bristles are used largely for
getting tactile sensations, like a cat's whiskers.  They also serve as
"eyelashes" in toucans and ostriches.  Unlike thermoregulation or flight,
even the first little protruding nub of a protofeather would provide a
little more tactile sensation.

Dinogeorge wrote...
> First you say feathers aren't scales (...don't see "ornamental scales"...),
> then you say they are (...feather development starts out exactly like a
> scale...). Which shall it be?

     Based on the illustrations in your Omni BCF article, I was
interpreting "ornamental scales" as referring to really big, thick,
spikey or platey looking structures rather then something more like
fine and hairlike such as bristles. 

LN Jeff
O-