Re: Ornitholestes

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

--- Ivan Kwan wrote:
> I read recently that it has been discovered that _Ornitholestes_ did not in 
> fact possess a horn/ crest/ protuberance on its snout. How accepted is this 
> view? Does this mean that all the restorations of horned _Ornitholestes_ 
> erroneous?

I think it's discussed in Rauhut's thesis that _O._ did not have a crest, 
but I don't know if it is widely accepted.

> And what about _Proceratosaurus_? Is it still considered a close relative 
> of _Ornitholestes_, and did it have a horn as well?

I don't think that _P._ has been considered a close relative for some time 
now.  Yes, it did still have a crest/horn.

> (Of course, we can always say that the holotype of _Ornitholestes_ was a 
> female and thus would not have a horn, while the males would have horns, 
> but then...)

Actually, we can't just say it.  You'd need evidence in the first place that 
a specimen did have a crest, then you'd need sufficient number of specimens 
in order to demonstrate that there is sexual variation regarding the crest 
as well as demonstrating that the different sets of specimens were indeed 
the same species and not separate.

Nick Gardner

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