Re: PHORUSRHACOIDS: UNFEATHERED HANDS?

[Ronald Orenstein <ornstn@home.com>]

>As for what the fossils say about this, no published phorusrhacoid 
>with feather impressions is known EXCEPTING _Aenigmavis sapea_, a 
>grouse-sized form from the middle Eocene Messel deposits. T
>DARREN NAISH
>darren.naish@port.ac.uk

I should remind people that Titanis, the only phorusracoid known to have
the modified claw-like hand (if indeed it did so - articulated material
would be nice!), was the last of its line (if you discount the living,
related seriemas), is the only one known from North America (I think???),
and may represent a highly-derived condition within the group.  As far as I
am aware we simply do not know if the South American forms had such a
structure.

Is Aenigmavis definitely one of this group?  It's on the "wrong" continent,
of course....
--
Ronald I. Orenstein                           Phone: (905) 820-7886
International Wildlife Coalition              Fax/Modem: (905) 569-0116
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