On 12/15/2011 1:52 AM, Tim Williams wrote:
Fowler, D.W., Freedman, E.A., Scannella, J.B.& Kambic, R.E. (2011) The Predatory Ecology of Deinonychus and the Origin of Flapping in Birds. PLoS ONE 6(12): e28964. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0028964 http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0028964
(3) The "stability flapping" behavior suggested as part of RPR is consistent with a "flapping-first" hypothesis of the origin of avian flight. But isn't this at odds with Senter's (2006) work which inferred that flapping came late to birds, because the scapular orientation in non-ornithoracean paravians precluded a full stroke?
That would seem to be the case. It is an elegant and clever idea, nonetheless.