Re: Feeding of Archaeopteyx

[Robert.J.Meyerson@uwrf.edu (Rob Meyerson)]

>Archaeopteryx, on the other hand, seems to lack any such special adaptation=
s
>(subject to a palaeontologist telling me otherwise).  Although I don't like
>to speculate, my own imagined view of Archie is as a generalist feeder, sor=
t
>of a cross between a chachalaca and a crow or  jay.  I can certainly imagin=
e
>it scavenging or foraging along the shoreline.

IDEA FLASH!  Could this be archy's niche: a scavenger role?  This could=
 explain the origin of flight in these animals; since a scavenger is going=
 to need to cover it's territory with relative efficiency, so flight evolves=
 so it can cover these long distances easily.  What do the dino-pros think? =
 Was archy designed for this type of role?

Rob

***
Q.  What gastropod is a constant skeptic?

A.  Abalone.