Of coelophysoids and _Protoavis_

["Rob Gay" <rob_redwing@hotmail.com>]

A while back, someone proposed that part of _Protoavis_ may be coelophysoid. 
Not having the paper, I was not able to fully comment on this. However, due 
to the miracle that is Interlibrary Loan, a copy landed in my hot little 
hands today. It is my opinion that _Protoavis_ is not composed of 
coelophysoid material. The premaxilla looks slightly coelophysoid, as do 
some of the cervicals. However, they are still quite distinct. Also, 
Chatterjee compares _Protoavis_ to coelophysoids, _Coelophysis_ and 
_Syntarsus_ at various points in his paper, showing the differences between 
the genera. My opinions on the paper: I like the illustrations, and the 
skeletal and life reconstructions. I personally think that this animal 
probably couldn't fly, or at least for some distances. The bones seem a bit 
too massive to really be efficent for flight. However, it would appear that 
the hands did have attachments for feathers, which is quite intersting (and 
cool, in my opinion). That's my take (I don't want to scoop an upcoming 
"Details on...", so I'll stop here).
Also, someone said that there were no photographs in the Palaeontographica 
paper. Endplates 1-9 are wholely photos of various parts of _Protoavis_, and 
the last plate is a comparison between several other genera and _Protoavis_ 
(also photgraphs).
My 2 1/2 cents (Don't ask where I get the half...)
Peace,
Rob

Student of Geology
Northern Arizona University
P.O. Box 20840
Flagstaff, Az. 86011
AIM: TarryAGoat
"A _Coelophysis_ with feathers?"

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