Re: Archie skull pneumatics?

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

Mickey Mortimer wrote-
> Jaime explained it well enough.

Yes, I understand now.

> (using my Holtz brand Genericometer of course)

I went down to Home Depot the other day and apparently they don't carry 
those.  I think I'll check Amazon.com next. ;)


> Wellnhoferia has only fifteen caudals preserved (contra Jaime's
> statement of seventeen), and Elzanowski estimates another couple were 
> originally present, giving a lower vertebral count than Archaeopteryx.

Ehm, if only 15 are preserved and then two more are estimated to be present, 
then how is Jaime wrong as that would be 17.

> I'm including Wellnhoferia as a separate OTU in my in progress
> (but finally
> progressing) analysis, along with our new friend Microraptor? gui.

I still doubt that *Microraptor gui* is a separate species.  How can one 
argue that the pubis in *M. zhaoianus* was not strongly bowed in lateral 
view if the holotype and the referred specimen are preserved in ventral 
view?  And tibia appears bowed in the holotype of *M. zhaoianus* as well.  
Therefore, that's two characters that aren't definitely separating them any 
more.


Nick Gardner

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