are, AFAIK, real, true ribs. Sacral ribs normally fuse to the transverse processes and suture/fuse to the ilia; caudal ribs are normally absent, but they occur in *Sinosauropteryx* on the first few vertebrae (ref: the description in Nature 8 January 1998). I have also read about caudal ribs in "hypsilophodontids". -- Sent through GMX FreeMail - http://www.gmx.net