Re: Syntarsus feathers

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

> I assume the "t-shaped neural arches" you're referring to are the expanded 
> spine tables of the dorsal neural spines?<
Yeah, I think that's the technical name. Brain lapse...

> If so, remember these are present in troodontids and dromaeosaurids as 
> well, but not Ceratosaurus.<
But also present in phytosaurs and aetosaurs. How well developed are they in 
those two groups that you mentioned as opposed to known armour-bearing 
animals?

> I would think with the many articulated Coelophysis specimens known we 
> would have some articulated osteoderms if they were originally present, not 
> just isolated elements occasionally preserved in some blocks.<
Preservation in the Ghost Ranch blocks is indeed fantastic; but, its no 
Yixan. See my webpage for a few pics from the block currently located at 
Ghost Ranch. Stuff gets squashed, and not everything is articulated or 
completely preserved. Furthermore, the items we are refering to are 
literally less than .25mm thick, so even with the great preservation at the 
Ghost Ranch quarry, the chance of preservation is still not 100%. It is 
important to remember that no concentration of fossils will ever preserve 
everything (i.e. rachis now known in _Sinornithosaurus_) all the time.
Peace,
Rob

Student of Geology
Northern Arizona University
P.O. Box 20840
Flagstaff, Az. 86011
AIM: TarryAGoat
http://dinodomain.com
http://www.cafepress.com/RobsDinos
"A _Coelophysis_ with feathers?"

_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp