|
Jordan Mallen writes: "we have fossil evidence (i.e., skin impressions) that prove that
tyrannosaurids were not covered in feathery integument " (I've just downloaded a load of stuff from the
archives, so my next comments my have to be modified after I read
it)
I have heard of three cases of tyrannosaur skin.
None of these involve more than a small portion of skin AFAIK. Therefore they do
not rule out the possibility of at least partial feathering. All extant birds
have scales and/or naked skin on some parts.
I've also read that the tyrannosaur skin is
identical to hadrosaur skin from the same deposits. I don't know what that was
based on, as I can find the ref.
Does anyone know if the evidence of possible T-rex
skin impressions is unequivocal?
Finally, why is it not possible for large
ceolurosaurs to have feathers?
I'm not trying to be difficult; I simply don't
understand!
Michael Lovejoy
|