Re: Removing segnosaurs from Theropoda

[Stan Friesen <swf@ElSegundoCA.ATTGIS.COM>]

 >         Sure!  How 'bou;t:  the Rauisuchia, the Poposauria, the Aetosauria,
 > etc., etc., and on and on for the various traditionally labeled
 > "thecodontian" groups?  I mean, after all, the basal members of your own
 > Crocodylomorpha are "thecodonts," so why don't you include them in there as
 > well?  If you're going to remove one of them, then you're going to have to
 > remove all of them and make them separate, as listed above.

Not if you accept paraphyletic groups, as I do.

The whole point of establishing a paraphyletic taxon for the stem
group is to *avoid* the necessity of erecting numerous small, largely
similar, groups for each of the early lineages.

 > If birds are
 > dinosaurs, then crocs are thecodonts, but no one ever says that.

But then I *don't* include the birds in my Dinosauria!  I put birds in
the seperate class Aves (not even in Reptilia). 

swf@elsegundoca.attgis.com              sarima@netcom.com

The peace of God be with you.