Re: coelurosauravus revisited

[David Marjanovic <david.marjanovic@gmx.at>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Tim Williams" <twilliams_alpha@hotmail.com>
Sent: Monday, November 01, 2004 6:55 PM

> > > 7. The hands and feet, to no one's suprise, appear to be webbed.
> >
> > You mean "to everyone's surprise". What for would an arboreal animal need
> > webbings that I at least can't see in the bad photo?
>
> I'm not surprised.  If webbing is indeed present in _Coelurosauravus_ (and
> I'm not saying that it is), then it would make sense for a gliding animal.
> Flying frogs (e.g., _Rhacophorus_) have webbed hands and feet, and so do
> many other aerial gliding animals that launch themselves from trees.
> Colugos (flying lemurs) have an interdigital patagium, and are called
> "mitten gliders" for this reason.

OK, but "flying" frogs are parachuters that lack any other expanded 
surfaces, and colugos have webbed fingers and toes as an extension of a 
complete patagium. *C.* would have them in addition to completely separate 
wings.

> BTW, any one know WHY this beastie is actually called _Coelurosauravus_?

It was once thought to be the "grandfather" of the coelurosaurs... but don't 
ask me why.