featherlike dermal structures

[Nick Longrich <longrich@phoenix.Princeton.EDU>]

        "Featherlike dermal structures" seems to be playing pretty fast
and loose with the phylogeny. The tall spines on the back of an Iguana or
Sphenodon might just as easily be called "featherlike dermal structures"
as whatever was on Longisquama's back. And what is the problem with an
ancestral furcula that was lost in herbivorous dinosaurs to loosen the
shoulder girdle for moving quadrupedally? As for the furcula being "just
like Oviraptor's" I've looked at a few maniraptoran furculae and I'll tell
you that those things are pretty darn variable. You could probably base
papers if not a career just on furculae in birds and even in theropods
they vary a lot. The robust furcula with large hypocleidium seen in O.
philoceratops is pretty unusual.