Re: Rahonavis....Both!

["Larry Febo" <larryf@capital.net>]

>-----Original Message-----
>From: T. Mike Keesey <tkeese1@gl.umbc.edu>
>To: Larry Febo <larryf@capital.net>
>Date: Wednesday, February 24, 1999 6:03 PM
>Subject: Re: Rahonavis....Both!


>On Wed, 24 Feb 1999, Larry Febo wrote:
>
>> OK. First I apologize for not being able to follow these cladistic
>> arguements (give me a nother year or two to catch up).

>It's not too hard once you get usd to it -- it's very logical. Try this
>page: http://dinosaur.umbc.edu/clades.htm
>
>> So, I think what you`re saying is that Eumaniraptor (hypothetical
>> ancestor right?) gave rise to Dromaeosaurs in one branch, and
>> Archaeopteryx and Rahonavis in another, with Rahonavis first ancestor
>> occurring befor Archaeopteryx.  ..............(right??)?
>
>About right. Eumaniraptora is a clade, with members being eumaniraptors
>(or eumaniraptorans). The ancestral eumaniraptor gave rise to
>Deinonychosauria (which may or may not have included _Dromaeosaurus_)and
>Avialae. Within Avialae, the lineage leading to _Rahonavis_ probably
>branched off before _Archaeopteryx_ and the line leading to modern birds.
>
>--T. Mike Keesey                                    <tkeese1@gl.umbc.edu>
>WORLDS                                  <http://www.gl.umbc.edu/~tkeese1>
>THE DINOSAURICON                               <http://dinosaur.umbc.edu>
>
>

Well, I think I`m beginning to understand......(was going to ask "Who`s on
first?", but think I`ll call it quits for now!). Thanks for the info!