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Re: protofeathers

At 03:28 PM 6/2/99 EDT, Dinogeorge wrote:
>In a message dated 6/2/99 7:10:39 AM EST, brush@uconnvm.uconn.edu writes:
>
>
>This definition quite clearly and in no uncertain terms renders the term
>"protofeathers" an exact synonym of "feathers" (>all morphological feather
>types<).

Exactly so. The problem is that we do not have sufficeint information to
make this decision. Certaily it cannot be one on morphology. The other
features of feather (whatever their morphology) have not been demonstrated
as of this time. Consequently, the status of the structure is undefined.
There are, of course, those who think these are collagen fibers. Once the
information is available then we will have adequate reason to label them.
The information will certainly allow us to establich homology.

Cheers,

                Alan