Olfactory Lobes & Large Yixian Theropods (was Re: New here, General Qs)

["Nick Gardner" <ratites637@hotmail.com>]

Bradley Fischer wrote:
> 2. How does T-Rex brain structure compare with Dromeosaurs and other small 
> theropods?

I recall a post awhile back on the Dinosaur Mailing List that mentions an 
SVP abstract that discusses how avialans supposedly have reduced olfactory 
lobes.  _Tyrannosaurus bataar_ is described as having large olfactory lobes 
(Maleev, 1965).  _Giganotosaurus carolinii_ appears to have moderately sized 
olfactory lobes (Coria & Currie, 2002).

> On a different topic: In a fairly recent issue of Scientific American, 
> there is an article about the evolution of feathers and their beginnings on 
> theropods. The article suggests that even T-rex probably was feathered.  
> Only problem I have with this theory is that the subject sample is all from 
> china and they found no large theropods with feathers. Anyone care to 
> comment on this? Am I off on my thinking?

Sadly, there are not yet any large theropods recovered from the Yixian 
Formation.  Come to think of it, off hand, I can't think of any large 
vertebrates from the Yixian.  If there are, could someone please list them 
with length and mass estimates?

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

Nick Gardner
Paleoartist
AIM Eoraptor22

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"People, not commerical organizations or chains of command, are what make 
great civilizations work.  Every civilization depends upon the quality of 
the individuals it produces.  If you over-organize humans, over-legalize 
them, suppress their urge to greatness -- they cannot work and their 
civilization collapses."
Frank Herbert, Children of Dune

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