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David Marjanovic wrote-
>> Class Aves
>> Order and family indet. > Why "indet." and not "unnecessary"?
:-P
Because every Mesozoic bird MUST be assigned to an
order and monogeneric family. Haven't you ever heard of the
following?-
Gobipterygiformes Elzanowski 1974
Gobipterygidae Elzanowski 1974 Alexornithiformes Brodkorb 1976 Alexornithidae Brodkorb 1976 Enantiornithiformes Martin 1983 Enantiornithidae Nessov and Borkin 1983 Zhyraornithidae Nessov 1984 Avisauridae Brett-Surman and Paul 1985 Cathayornithiformes Zhou, Jin and Zhang 1992 Cathayornithidae Zhou, Jin and Zhang 1992 Iberomesornithiformes Sanz and Bonaparte 1992 Iberomesornithidae Sanz and Bonaparte 1992 Zhyraornithi Nessov 1992 Kuszholiidae Nessov 1992 Confuciusornithiformes Hou et al.,
1995
Confuciusornithidae Hou et al.,
1995
Concornithidae Kurochkin 1996 Euornithiformes Kurochkin 1996 Cuspirostrisornithidae Hou 1997 Sinornithiformes Hou 1997 Sinornithidae Hou 1997 Eoenantiornithiformes Hou, Martin, Zhou and Feduccia 1999 Eoenantiornithidae Hou, Martin, Zhou and Feduccia 1999 Longipterygiformes Zhang, Zhou, Hou and Gu
2001
Longipterygidae Zhang, Zhou, Hou and Gu
2001
Not to mention the euornithines....
;-)
>> a fibula reaching the distal end of the tarsal joint,
> Unlike Avimimus, apparently
Yandangornis and Pygostylia. Teaches one to be careful when
> assuming synapomorphies instead of
convergences (Holtz mantra number...).
Yeah, and unlike troodontids, mononykines
and Rahonavis too.
>> [...] the presence of a fifth metatarsal.
> Like Avimimus, apparently unlike
Yandangornis.
Even confuciusornithids and Protopteryx still have
metatarsal V though.
> Heterocoelous? I thought that appeared much
later? This couldn't bring Protoavis back into
> the bird family tree, could it?
Sapeornis probably has the same sort of
semi-heterocoelous centra Confuciusornis and the Spanish nestling do-
heterocoelous on the front articular surface only.
>> the presence of a pygostyle,
> As expected. Phew ;-)
Only a tiny one though. Five or so
vertebrae incorporated.
>> a fused carpometacarpus,
> So that evolved 3 times on the
whole?
Actually, the semilunate carpal is just fused to
metacarpals II and III, as in Confuciusornis. The amount of fusion in
basal birds is quite variable, with the holotype of Sinornis having unfused
metacarpi for instance (though the referred specimen [holotype of Cathayornis
yandica] has a fused carpometacarpus, suggesting individual or ontogenetic
variation).
Mike Keesey wrote-
> I thought
"Proornis" was a confuciusornithid (and hence more derived than
> _Sapeornis_). All my idea. See http://www.cmnh.org/fun/dinosaur-archive/2001May/msg00859.html .
Someone had to write something about it. The thing's been sitting in Korea
for years now...
Mickey Mortimer
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