Sauropodomorph Systematics in Yates 2003

["T. Michael Keesey" <mightyodinn@yahoo.com>]

I just had a very cursory glance over this paper. Very glad that the phylogeny
basal sauropodomorphs is receiving such attention.

Interestingly, if I recall Wilson & Sereno's definitions of _Prosauropoda_
(_Plateosaurus_ <- _Saltasaurus_) and _Sauropoda_ (_Saltasaurus_ <-
_Plateosaurus_) correctly, then, if you apply them to Yates' phylogeny:

- _Blikanasaurus_, _Melanorosaurus_, _Euskelosaurus_, _Yunnanosaurus_,
_Massospondylus_, _Lufengosaurus_, _Coloradisaurus_, _Riojasaurus_, and
_Anchisaurus_ are basal sauropods(!)

- _Plateosaurus_ is the only (known, verified) prosauropod(!!!)

Clearly these definitions are not in the spirit of traditional usage. Yates
does not use them, but abandons "Prosauropoda" as a paraphyletic taxon, and
mentions "Sauropoda(_Vulcanodon_ + _Eusauropoda_)" -- not sure if this is meant
to be a definition or a listing of presumed content, although it wouldn't be a
bad definition (if emended to something like _V. karibaensis_ + [insert
eusauropod species here]).

=====
=====> T. Michael Keesey <keesey@bigfoot.com>
=====> The Dinosauricon <http://dinosauricon.com>
=====> BloodySteak <http://bloodysteak.com>
=====> Instant Messenger <Ric Blayze>
=====

__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
The New Yahoo! Search - Faster. Easier. Bingo.
http://search.yahoo.com