Re: 11th specimen of Archaeopteryx

["Habib, Michael" <MHabib@Chatham.edu>]

On Oct 27, 2011, at 4:30 AM, Don Ohmes wrote:
> I am agnostic on the limits on upstroke amplitude in basal birds due to 
> limited data and skills -- I am just pointing out that if they were 
> severely limited in the manner that I have read is ascribed to Arch., 
> then a path to powered flight that did not initially exploit gravity as 
> the primary energy source rather than muscle power is not clear -- at 
> least to me.


One possibility would be that flapping strokes evolved from a precursor 
behavior in a more terrestrial realm.  In other words, the proto-flyers might 
not have been flying.

--Mike H.


Michael Habib
Assistant Professor of Biology
Chatham University
Woodland Road, Pittsburgh PA  15232
Buhl Hall, Room 226A
mhabib@chatham.edu
(443) 280-0181