Re: Paedomorphosis ( Re: BARYONYX' CLAWS )

[Dinogeorge <Dinogeorge@aol.com>]

In a message dated 98-04-09 21:34:53 EDT, m_troutman@hotmail.com writes:

<< Basically, the penguin, auk, and plotopterid "flippers" are 
 modified wings. They use their wings in a manner similiar to volant 
 birds.  >>

Why would you find this so noteworthy? The present avian wing architecture is
easily adaptable to underwater swimming, as penguins so obviously demonstrate.
And back in the Triassic, the architecture of the avian wing--that is, the
theropod forelimb and pectoral girdle--was considerably different, and much
more adaptable to a grasping, predatory function. So--now we have dozens of
species of penguins, and then we had dozens of species of predatory dinosaurs.