RE: Bambiraptor complete!

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

Ronald Orenstein wrote:

> >But I agree with your point.  The notion that aerodynamic wings (or
> >proto-wings) were incompatible with predation is difficult to take too
> >seriously.

>However, I would still suggest that if forearms were used to control or 
>subdue struggling prey, long remiges would be at considerable risk of 
>damage or fouling.   That might be a better reason for expecting such an
>animal to lack them than aerodynamic considerations.

Yep, this has come up before.  Though I doubt if this was such a big deal
either.  If modern birds are prepared to strike each other using their wings
(and some species even have metacarpal spurs expressly for this purpose),
and risk damage to the remiges, then I don't see why predatory
"dinobirds" would have hesitated at using their forelimbs for prey capture.




Tim