Giant birds

["ekaterina amalitzkaya" <eamalitz@hotmail.com>]

My thanks to Drs. Ruhe and Headden for providing the elusive reference of 
the Cretaceous synsacrum. After some reading I wondered if Gargantuavis 
philoinos was the only large "bird" sensu strictu that has been described 
from the Mesozoic? Is there any evidence for others. Is it likely that 
Western Europe did not have an Avimimid or Ornithomimid fauna in the 
Cretaceous that allowed the large birds to occupy that niche normally taken 
by non-avian theropods.Another matter I would appreciate clarification is as 
to why the 'Struthioid' body plan was not explored before the Cretaceous 
where it was independently achieved by at least 3 lines.

On an unrelated issue has there been any follow up on the deinonychosaur 
like claw published by O.Rauhut from North Africa? Is it still considered to 
belong to a dein..saur or is it a fragment of a Rahonavis like bird.
_EA


______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com