Caudipteryx the oviraptorosaur (was RE: Pygostyle)

["Thomas R. Holtz, Jr." <tholtz@geol.umd.edu>]

> From: owner-dinosaur@usc.edu [mailto:owner-dinosaur@usc.edu]On Behalf Of
> Jaime A. Headden
> Tim Williams wrote:
>
> <You could probably add _Caudipteryx_ to the list.>
>
>   I could; however, given that an analysis explicitly
> comparing *Caduipteryx* to oviraptorosauria and other
> taxa outside of the general avian-mould, as was done
> by Ji et al. (1998), has not been done, thus
> suggesting placement, I am loathe to refer it.

Actually, such a paper HAS been published, in that obscure journal
Science... :-)

Okay, so it is hidden from view, but in:

Sereno, P. C.  1999.  The evolution of dinosaurs.  Science 284:2137-2147.

the oviraptorosaurian nature of Caudipteryx is mentioned on p. 2143 (top of
the first column); character evidence supporting this position is in the
supplementary information online
(http://www.sciencemag.org/feature/data/1041760.shl).

The cladograms shown as figures in that analyses are actually composites of
several multiple analyses.  The Tetanurae analysis includes _Caudipteryx_
and Oviraptoridae and Caenagnathidae  and Avialae as separate OTUs.

                Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
                Vertebrate Paleontologist
Department of Geology           Director, Earth, Life & Time Program
University of Maryland          College Park Scholars
                College Park, MD  20742
http://www.geol.umd.edu/~tholtz/tholtz.htm
http://www.geol.umd.edu/~jmerck/eltsite
Phone:  301-405-4084    Email:  tholtz@geol.umd.edu
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