Re: Rahonavis....a Bird?....a Dino?

[Phillip Bigelow <bh162@scn.org>]

larryf@capital.net ("Larry Febo") asked of the list:

<snippage>
> how can we continue comparing Droms with Archie, when there`s
> a closer representative to be had in Rahonavis??

The answer to your question lies in the relative quantities of material
available to study.  There are complete skeletons of dromaeosaurids
available (making comparisons with birds easy), but Rahonavis is only
known from a few elements (albeit important ones).  Then again, with
more material available to study, scientists may find that Rahonavis is
not as close to birds as was previously thought!  It's that
cladistics-thing again...
Aren't "ghost-elements" fun?   :-)

 "ghost-elements" =  presumed elements or a presumed morphology,
currently not found in the fossil record, that are suspected to be part
of the anatomy of a  fossil taxon.  Examples: primitive air sac
respiratory system on dromaeosaurs;  kinetic skull on Rahoavis;
Kung-Fu-grip on Godzilla.
Then of course there are "Lazarus elements" and "Elvis elements"
and.....


                                  <pb>
--
(I made all of that up...except the part about Godzilla, of course).
BTW: to directly answer the questions in your subject header:
"Probably"  and "Definately Yes"