Re: Bird origin ref.

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

>
>Just got hold of a reprint of this ref. Welman, J. 1995. Euparkeria and 
>the origin of birds. South African Journal of Science 91, 533-537.
>In this paper Welman compares the braincases of Euparkeria, Euskelosaurus 
>Syntarsus and Sphenosuchus with those of birds. He found that 
>the dinosaurs and sphenosuchus share derived characters not seen in 
>either birds or Euparkeria and that there were some derived characters 
>shared between Euparkeria and birds. He concluded that there was a sister 
>group relationship between Euparkeria and Birds! Obviously the principle 
>of total evidence was ignored.

Oh, good. The old 'sufficiently primitive ancestor' idea at work.

And the Spectre of Heilmann rises from the grave to haunt paleontology again!

(I now have images in my head of Ostrom trying to exorcise said spirit...)

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