Re: On Terror Birds & Teratorns

["Tim Williams" <twilliams_alpha@hotmail.com>]

Brian Lauret wrote:

> Certainly,the seriemas are basal to phorusrhacids,though not to the 
> diatrymids,wich are galloanserian.

The big, flightless and (alas) extinct dromornithids of Australia also 
appear to lie close to, or perhaps even within, the Galloanserae.  Thus, 
they may be very close to the diatrymids (=gastornithids).  Interestingly, 
the Galloanserae is the basal clade in the Neognathae, which puts the 
galloanserines right next to the Palaeognathae (ratites + tinamous).  This 
part of the Neornithes (Palaeognathae+Galloanserae appears to have a 
disproportionate number of big flightless birds

> As for teratornid-relationships,little is known.  They're
> possibly closer related to other birds,like storks and pelicans,than to 
> cathartids.(or accipittrids,pandionids,sagitarids or falconids for that 
> matter)

The New World vultures (Cathartidae; more correctly known as Vulturidae) 
have long been considered closer to storks (Ciconiidae) than to the other 
diurnal birds of prey (Falconiformes: accipitrids, pandionids, sagittariids, 
falconids etc).



Tim

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