RE: Gigantoraptor stuff

[Tim Williams <twilliams_alpha@hotmail.com>]

John Scanlon wrote:

> Among big flightless Caenozoic birds, dinornithids are perhaps the _least_
> like _Gigantoraptor_ in several respects:
>
> The head is extremely small, the jaws shallow and beak hookless, implying 
> an
> extreme of the ratite 'pluck and swallow' feeding style rather than the
> cutting and crushing ability attested by the deep, robust and apparently
> hooked (parrot-like) jaws and beak of the oviraptorid.

I was hoping someone would refute me on this - thanks.

> And moas totally lacked forelimbs, defensive or otherwise.

This I knew.  What I was getting at was that the forelimbs of 
oviraptorosaurs may have been retained for defense and/or display, rather 
than playing an active role in procuring food.  I didn't mean to imply that 
this is what moa did (!).  (Though such forelimbs might have come in handy 
fending off human hunters.  Too late now.)

(BTW, I was informed by a NZ chappie that "moa" is both plural and 
singular.)

Cheers

Tim

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