Re: Protoavis

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

> Just a note on your terminology: In modern classifications, "Thecodontia"
> has been abandoned (it's rather arbitrary -- non-crocodilian,
> non-pterosaurian, non-dinosaurian archosaurs) and Dinosauria is
> monophyletic, therefore including Aves. A better way to say this is that
> some non-avian dinosaurs are intermediate between more primitive
> archosaurs and birds.

      The term hasn't really been abandoned, its just a good deal less
formal.  "Thecodont" is a good deal more specific then "more primitve" or
even "basal" archosaur.  It may be somewhat of a grab-bag taxon, but at
least it has a specific meaning.  What exactly is "more primitve"
then a crocodilain or dinosaur; do, say aetosaurs really have fewer
derived characteristics then a crocodilain?

LN Jeff
O-