Re: Ornithoms, Parrots, and others

[Stanley Friesen <sarima@ix.netcom.com>]

At 03:14 PM 11/12/98 EST, Dinogeorge@aol.com wrote:
>In a message dated 11/12/98 8:44:18 AM EST, th81@umail.umd.edu writes:
>But it isn't compatible with the "ground up" cursorial scenario of the origin
>of flight. In the "ground up" scenario, birds evolve flight as
ground-dwelling
>animals by accumulating the anatomical features associated with flight for
>non-flight reasons. They become arboreal only >after< flying makes trees
>accessible. If the standard model admits tree-climbing non-avian coelurians,
>then it is virtually indistinguishable from BCF, and I can get off my
soapbox.
>
This depends on what you mean by BCF.

The idea of tree-climbing coelurosaurs as the origin of birds does not
necessarily imply secondary flightlessness in maniraptorans.  Indeed,
gliding or other forms of proto-flight may be quite restricted in
occupancies in the standard model.


Given that I suspect that a scansorial lifestyle would leave little, if
any, skeletal indicia in small animals, I do not find the idea of arboreal
coelurosaurs all that far beyond the current evidence.

--------------
May the peace of God be with you.         sarima@ix.netcom.com