Re: Segnosaurs II

[Thomas_R_HOLTZ@umail.umd.edu (th81)]

><<I used to subscribe to the Paulian interpretation of segnosaurs, too; but 
>a close look at the description of _Alxasaurus_ and at the skull of 
>_Erlikosaurus_, I am convinced that they are derived coelurosaurian 
>theropods, probably most closely related to ornitholestids or 
>oviraptorosaurs.>>
>
>The only thing I see in the skull of _Erlikosaurus_ that would lead me to
>believe that it might come from a Theropod is the enlarged basi-sphenoid.  I
>see nothing else that would point directly to theropoda, most of it in fact
>points to phytodinosaurs.  As I've said before, the wrists DO NOT have
>semi-lunate carpals.

The Late K therizinosauroids CLEARLY DO!! They were, in fact, one of the
main groups Barsbold Rinchen uses in describing the semilunate structure.

> I don't know where they stopped drawing _Alxasaurus'_
>bones in the picture; all the hand and finger bones are drawn correctly, but
>when it comes to the wrist, it seems as though they started drawing off of
>_Deinonychus_ instead of _Alxasaurus_ because that is not what the wrist
>bones look like.  Take a look at the lower jaw of _Erlikosaurus_, it is
>*practically* identical to _Plateosaurus'_.
>
Or Harpymimus.

Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
Vertebrate Paleontologist
Dept. of Geology
University of Maryland
College Park, MD  20742
Email:Thomas_R_HOLTZ@umail.umd.edu (th81)
Fax: 301-314-9661
Phone:301-405-4084