Re: Dino feathers=Ptero fur?

["Nicholas J. Pharris" <pharrinj@PLU.edu>]

On Wed, 7 Feb 1996, T. Mike Keesey wrote:

> Does anyone know if any theropod skin impressions besides 
> _Carnotaurus_, _Harpymimus_(?), and _Archaeopteryx_ are known? (besides 
> modern birds, of course)

That was _Pelecanimimus_.  There is supposed to be an impression from the 
end of the tail of a tyrannosaur.


> If _Carnotaurus_ didn't have feathers, does this necessarily mean that 
> feathers must have developed after the ceratosaurs split from the 
> tetanurines, or could it be that theropods (or dinosaur in general) beyond a 
> certain size didn't need an insulating coat any more (as in elephants, 
> rhinoes, etc.)

That's Greg Paul's preferred explanation, and I'm not disagreeing.

> -T. Mike Keesey
> tmkeesey@wam.umd.edu


Nick Pharris
Pacific Lutheran University
Tacoma, WA 98447
(206)535-8204
PharriNJ@PLU.edu

"If you can't convince them, confuse them." -- Harry S Truman