Re: Feathered Theropods -Reprise

["Thomas R. Holtz, Jr." <th81@umail.umd.edu>]

At 05:17 PM 9/27/98 -0400, Truett Garner wrote:
>Firstly , 
>Thanks to Jeff for a very succinct explanation of his viewpoint,( which I
>highly respect ) and thanks to Brian for bringing the issue more into focus
>. Didn't mean to start a firestorm . My basic problem with feathered
>Oviraptorids or Dromaeosaurids has to do with size in both animals . I
>understand that Oviraptorids and Dromaeosaurids are considered ' small '
>theropods , but are they not both larger than
>the feathered theropods from China ? In other words , what is the upper
>size limit in which insulation (discounting display purposes)
>becomes unnecessary in an endothermic dinosaur living in a fairly equable
>environment ?

WHOA THERE!!!!!!!!!

Hold on.  Let us not forget that we have two, indepedent lines of analysis here:

A) What is the hypothesized distribution of feathers in the theropod
lineage, based on observed evidence and phylogenetic inference?

B) What is the early function of feathers?

These are two entirely different subjects.  Do not conflate them.  That is,
you should not overturn that which you find by "A" based on proposed (but
not tested) ideas of "B".


Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
Vertebrate Paleontologist     Webpage: http://www.geol.umd.edu
Dept. of Geology              Email:tholtz@geol.umd.edu
University of Maryland        Phone:301-405-4084
College Park, MD  20742       Fax:  301-314-9661