Re: Size of Theropods

[JCMcL <darwincr@laplaza.taos.nm.us>]

On Mon, 22 Jan 1996, Peter Mark wrote:

> Just a follow up to Scott Horton's post - it would seem that in the past
> there was at least a tendency, perhaps not scientifically rigorous, to lump
> large theropods into carnosauria and small ones into coelurosauria. Now that
> coelurosaurs have got pretty big with the inclusion of tyrannosaurs, just
> what is an acceptable definition of the differences between the two?
> Graeme Worth
> 
In modern felids there may be a taxonomic parallel - the use of a genus 
Panthera for "big" or "roaring" cats, and Felis, for the rest (except 
cheetahs, Acinonyx, and Lynx, the short-tailed cats).  People currently 
try to differentiate on the basis 
of whether "big" cats purr, or "small" cats "roar," and whether there are 
fundamental difference in voicebox structure between the two, etc.  
Have fun.