At 09:35 26-11-2001 -0500, Thomas Holtz wrote:
Despite Eric's comments: yes, sickle claws evolved more than once in the history of theropods. _Noasaurus_ is most definitely not a maniraptoran (bird or otherwise), and has a sickle claw.
The number of times this featured evolved within Maniraptora is uncertain. Seriamas have it, and are derived modern birds, so this origin is separate from any of the Mesozoic origins.
Surely you mean cassowaries, not seriemas?
Gerrit