RE: Ornithoms, Parrots, and others

[Adam Yates <A.Yates@zoo.latrobe.edu.au>]

-----Original Message-----


>I'll accept that prediction, and add in its stead that the next decade
will
likely see the following in Jurassic rocks: basal oviraptorosaurs, basal
dromaeosaurs, basal bullatosaurs (if this remains a distinct clade
within
Maniraptoriformes: if not, both proto-troodonts and
proto-ornithomimosaurs),
and basal tyrannosaurids.
<

Well, some might squeeze in post-Archae; pre-Archae is really the deal.
Frankly, I'm surprised you're willing to go for it.
--------------------------

There is one recent paper in Palaontologische Zeitschrift that I am suprised
no-one has mentioned in this discussion - perhaps the journal is real hard
to find in the US ;)  
Anyway Jens Zinke describes the theropod fauna from the Guimarota
microvertebrate locality in Portugal.It is dated as early Kimmeridgian so it
is pre - Solnhofen (just).  Only teeth are known but they include
Archaeopteryx, Compsognathus,a velociraptorine, a dromaeosaurine,a probable
troodontid, a probable tyrranosaurid, a probable allosaurid and something
akin to Richardoestia. Now I know some might say teeth.  If you don't
believe in tooth identifications you would have to explain why the tooth
characters that can be used to diagnose K coelurosaur groups suddenly no
longer diagnose these groups when you dip below the J-K boundary. Another
interesting point is that Archaeopteryx and Compsognathus are by far the
most common taxa in the assemblage. This suggests that the paltry handfull
of theropod skeletons in the Solnhoffen are only the most common elements of
a more diverse small theropod fauna running around the late Jurassic of
Europe. Perhaps one day we will find a troodontid or velociraptorine at
Solnhofen.

The ref is:

Zinke, J. 1998. Small theropod teeth from the Upper Jurassic coal mine of
Guimarota (Portugal). Palaontologische Zeitschrift 72: 179-189.

In conclusion I'd say that Tom is backing a winner.

There is also a paper by Galton and Van Heerden redescribing Blikanosaurus
in the same volume.

cheers
Adam Yates