Re: Terrestriality is a bias

[Ronald Orenstein <ornstn@home.com>]

At 12:50 AM 12/06/2000 -0400, Dinogeorge@aol.com wrote:
> Don't think the ultimate bird-theropod ancestor was obligatorily bipedal; it
> was likely a semi-erect climbing quadruped. Bipedality evolved >along with<
> the evolution of the forelimb into the wing, and whenever a theropod lineage
> split off into terrestrial cursoriality, the forelimb was useless for
> locomotion and simply vestigialized.

Well, this is George's BCF hypothesis, of course - in part for the reasons 
I suggested, I don't see how you could ever know this for sure.  I assume, 
though, that most workers agree, do they not, that bipedality is primitive 
in dinosaurs?


--
Ronald I. Orenstein                           Phone: (905) 820-7886
International Wildlife Coalition              Fax/Modem: (905) 569-0116
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