Re: New alvarezsaurid

["Matthew Troutman" <m_troutman@hotmail.com>]

><< Avimimids are chimeras.  >>
>
>The holotype specimen of _Avimimus portentosus_ is a skull cap (as far 
as I
>can recall--my copy of the paper is not yet with me here in San Diego), 
so the
>species is not a chimera but, perhaps, poorly defined. However, other 
material
>referred to the species may belong to other species, which would screw 
up the
>hypodigm. Figure out what family the skull cap belongs to, and if that 
family
>doesn't already have a name, it must be called Avimimidae. That's what
>avimimids are. The other material may or may not belong to other 
families.
>

    I was refering to the must often concieved image of avimimids. As 
for the identity of the type material, I know that Perle has conjectured 
that it is a juvenile oviraptorosaur skull. Given the similiar 
morphology, I think this is viable.

 Matt Troutman

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