RE: Prosauropods & Edmarka

["Williams, Tim" <TiJaWi@agron.iastate.edu>]

Luc Bailly wrote:

> Something else I just think about: most prosauropods (with the possible
> exception of _Thecodontosaurus_) are either obligatory quadrupedal or
> facultative quadrupedal. Their hands can pronate. CMIIW, there're no
> basal theropods with hands which can pronate.

I had thought basal theropods could pronate their hands.  In fact, it was my
impresson that most non-avian theropods were capable of pronation/supination
of the manus - until that whopping semilunate carpal block came along and
turned the wrist into a swivel joint.



Jaime Headden wrote:

> In well-sampled and diverse assemblages like the Morrison, we are still
> finding new, large taxa (e.g., *Mymoorapelta*, *Edmarka*) which are very
> distinct from their contemporaries

I agree wholeheartedly - though _Edmarka_ is probably a poor choice to
underline the point.  There's a good chance it's the same as _Torvosaurus_.





Tim


------------------------------------------------------------ 

Timothy J. Williams, Ph.D. 

USDA-ARS Researcher 
Agronomy Hall 
Iowa State University 
Ames IA 50014 

Phone: 515 294 9233 
Fax:   515 294 9359