RE: Dino/Birds? was Mesozoic snow?

["Thomas R. Holtz, Jr." <tholtz@geol.umd.edu>]

> From: owner-dinosaur@usc.edu [mailto:owner-dinosaur@usc.edu]On Behalf Of
> Andrew Simpson
>
> I am shocked. We continously being told that all these
> theropods are feathered. The artists are putting
> feathers on everything thesedays. But you seem to be
> saying that we have only two theropods with proof of
> feathers?
>
> Madness.
>
> What is up with all those Dino-Birds in china. Are
> they flat out birds or is there some cross into the
> dino realm?

We were talking about undisputed Jurassic feathered forms. In fact, the Chinese 
units in question are Cretaceous (with the possible
exception of the beds from which Epidendrosaurus and Pedopenna are from), and 
within those every species of compsognathid,
tyrannosauroid, therizinosauroid, oviraptorosaur, deinonychosaur, and avialian 
(="birds", broadly defined). for which integument is
preserved shows protofeathers or feathers.  Additionally, there are preserved 
feather structures for alvarezsaurids in Mongolia, and
of course lots of additional feather impressions for avialians elsewhere.

Hope this helps,

                Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
                Vertebrate Paleontologist
Department of Geology           Director, Earth, Life & Time Program
University of Maryland          College Park Scholars
        Mailing Address:
                Building 237, Room 1117
                College Park, MD  20742

http://www.geol.umd.edu/~tholtz/
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