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Non-theropod dinosaurs and feathery/fluffy integument
Why is it conventional for paleoartists to cover their smaller theropods (or
infants of larger theropod genera) with feathers or proto-feathers, but not
dinosaurs from other clades? I have almost never seen, say, a "coated"
ornithopod, psittacosaurid, or stegosaurid hatchling. As much as I miss the
featherless, scaly dinosaurs of my childhood's 90s dinosaur books (in my
opinion they look much sleeker, shinier, and more lithe than the dinobirds
of contemporary reconstructions), I believe all of the smaller dinosaurs (as
well as the young of the larger kinds) probably had integumentary covering,
for purposes of insulation. All smaller endotherms need insulation.
BTW, is it possible that some dinosaurs may have had "nappy" or kinky
integument (thinking Afro-type), as opposed to the straight fluff/feathers
usually found on fossils bearing impressions?
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