Re: Flightless Bird Evolution

Ken Shaw wrote:

John Harshman wrote:

Ken Shaw wrote:


John Harshman wrote:



It's hard to find good reading on bird anatomy that isn't 100 years old
and in German. You might try Feduccia's book (he said, through gritted
teeth), but ignore all the phylogenetic claims.

You recommend Feduccia's book? Did you become a BAND supporter when I
wasn't looking?

No, that's why I was gritting my teeth. But there are remarkably few
good references on bird anatomy.


BTW have any new papers come out on the cladistics of the Maniraptoa?
After reading _Dinosaurs of the Air_ a while back I'm intrigued by the
possibility that the Dromaeosauridea are secondarily flightless.

I haven't seen anything new on that subject, but there are others here
who keep up with that stuff more than I do.

The latest I know of is this:
Maryanska, T., Osmólska, H. and Wolsan, M. 2002. Avialan status for
Oviraptorosauria. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 47:97-116.

But see this:
Dyke, G. J. and Norell, M. A. 2005. Caudipteryx as a non-avialan
theropod rather than a flightless bird. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica
50:101-116.


Thanks I'll get down to the library and get those papers soon.

On a related subject (dinosaur/bird evolution that is), Am I correct
that most(all?) bird reproduction involves a display or dance on the
part of the male to entice the female? If so would a reasonable
inference be that some sort of similiar behaviour occured in the non
avian therepods?

Yes, and yes. There are a few species in which the female displays to
attract the male, and you have to count song as among the displays, and
some of those displays may be intended to intimidate other males, but
sure. Throughout the animal kingdom, males commonly have to do something
to convince females to mate with them. All a matter of relative
reproductive effort.

.

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