RE: JVP 27(1)

[Tim Williams <twilliams_alpha@hotmail.com>]

Justin Tweet wrote:

> Bennett, S. Christopher. 2007. Reassessment of Utahdactylus from the
> Jurassic Morrison Formation of Utah. 257-260.
>
> The specimen is found to be undiagnostic, with misidentifications of
> remains, and there is no evidence that it was a pterosaur. He considers
> it to be an indeterminate diapsid.

An "indeterminate diapsid".  Wow, that narrows it down.  ;-)  Makes you 
wonder why it was named in the first place.

This therefore refutes:

Czerkas and Mickelson (2002). The first occurence of skeletal pterosaur in 
Utah.

This was one of the papers in the infamous "Feathered Dinosaurs and the 
Origin of Flight" Dinosaur Museum Journal volume.  The new genera erected in 
this volume are being whittled down one by one... _Archaeovolans_ 
(=Yanornis_), _Omnivoropteryx_ (probably the same as _Sapeornis_), 
_Cryptovolans_ (maybe the same as _Microraptor), _Scansoriopteryx_ (likely 
the same as _Epidendrosaurus_, though there is dispute over priority).

Incidentally, the potentially non-pterosaur nature of _Utahdactylus_ has 
been raised before...

http://dml.cmnh.org/2002Oct/msg00119.html

(which gives an alternative interpretation.)

Cheers

Tim

_________________________________________________________________
Interest Rates near 39yr lows! $430,000 Mortgage for $1,399/mo - Calculate 
new payment 
http://www.lowermybills.com/lre/index.jsp?sourceid=lmb-9632-18466&moid=7581