Re: Bird flight once more (was Re: What is a Dinosaur? and semilunate carpal)

["Chris Fisher" <killerraptor20@hotmail.com>]

> as well as the biplanar movement afforded by a lack of a large distal 
> carpal
> block with a trochleate surface

How does the large carpal block restrict biplanar movement. The semilunate 
carpal helps movement in one plane (mediolateral) but does it necessarily 
restrict movement in the other (dorsoventral) ?

<. The stiffening wrists of theropods occur after coelophysids and kin, not 
before. This
> appears to correlate with larger hands and more robust claws and arms, 
> indicating a greater
> predatory capability in the arms.

I am not certain why the carpal block (semilunate carpal in 
Maniraptroriforms) makes the wrist LESS flexible or mobile. Can you please 
explain.

The correlation is certainly their, but how does stiff wrists help 
predation?


Thanks Chris

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