Re: Sordes, Brachiosaurs, Mamenchisa

[ornstn@hookup.net (Ronald Orenstein)]

>ornst@hookup.net
><<Paleontologists no longer believe that Sordes pilosus had hair,>>
>
>Since when?

Once again: this was not my wording; I quoted it merely to show that not
everyone accepts pterosaur hair.

><<and thin, curly fibers closer to the animal's body, where more 
>flexibility would have been needed.>>
>
>Why would it need stiffiners on its body (not the wings)?

I think the reference was to fibers ON the wings but closer to the base of
the wing (ie the body) than the longer fibers.

  it 
>shows the fibers on the wing extending past the wing's trailing edge.  
>That is absolutely not what would be expected for a structure that 
>was supposedly inside of the skin.

I have heard this explained as an artifact of post-mortem conditions, with
the stiffened fibers emerging from a partially decayed or damaged wing
membrane as the wing dried or shrunk.  Again, please note that these are NOT
my opinions; not having examined the specimens personally I don't really
feel comfortable having any on this point.

 I would think that hair would be more 
>delicate like the contour feathers, not like the gigantic flight feathers 
>that were splayed out, asking to leave an impression.

This may well be true.

In case I haven't said so I will be off the list after Sunday for two weeks,
then back on under my new email address, ornstn@inforamp.net.
--
Ronald I. Orenstein                           Phone: (905) 820-7886 (home)
International Wildlife Coalition              Fax/Modem: (905) 569-0116 (home)
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