ORNITHOPODS AND MEXICO CITY

[Tetanurae@aol.com]

Nick Snells recently asked if anything more recent than Weishampel and 
Heinrich 1992 had been published on Orodromeus, especially anything that 
showed what the heck the animal looked like.  The answer to that question is 
unfortunately no.  Except for a few bits and pieces, no one really has any 
idea what Orodromeus looked like.  Through the grape vine, it's rumoured to 
be similar to Zephyrosaurus, but that doesn't say much.  Rod Scheetz has 
studied the skeletons however and will publishing a description in the neear 
future (which means before 2005).

Orodromeus is not the only ornithopod that is so unfortunate:

-There is an ornithopod from Proctor Lake, Texas with a lot of skeletons and 
a lot of baby stuff, but only preliminary drawings have been published so far 
even though the thing has been known for at least 15 years.

-Drinker has a LOT of material known, but not published.  Again through the 
grapevine, there's supposedly a monographish work on this animal in the 
works, but nothing so far but some drawings of weird teeth.

-There are lots of new Thescelosaurus or supposed Thescelosaurus specimens 
all over the place, but nothing so far.  This should help clear up a lot of 
issues concerning this animal's phylogenetic position.

Additionally, there are new ornithopods from South America that are coming 
into the light as well as newer descriptions of some old North Americans like 
Parksosaurus and Bugenasaura.

Speaking of North Americans.

I would like to urge each and every one of the dino-lists SVP regulars to 
come to SVP 2K in Mexico city this October.  I had heard through the rumor 
mill that many of you  were not going to attend because of the location.  I 
hopee that you can see how truly arrogent it is not to visit Mexico City 
because it is percieved as dirty or dangerous, when Washington is one of the 
most dirty, disgusting, and dangerous cities I've ever been too, yet we would 
all expect our Mexican collegues to come to SVP if it were in DC.  Mexico 
City is probably the most cultured city you'll find in North America, and it 
would bee a shame if you all missed out.

Peter Buchholz
Tetanurae@aol.com

"Marge!  How much would you pay for an automatic hamburger flipper!?"

"Nothing..."