Re: Giant flightless birds

["T. Mike Keesey" <tkeese1@gl.umbc.edu>]

On Tue, 11 May 1999, Larry Febo wrote:

> Are there any three digit (manus) theropods that also have very short arms?

_Torvosaurus_, spinosaurs. Neoceratosaurs had four manual digits, but one
is vestigial -- They all have small, sometimes tiny arms. 
 
> I`ve tried to make a logical arguement here based on how " natural
> selection" might have operated. I guess more solid proof will someday have
> to come from more complete fossil evidence. (Finding a fossil bird closer to
> Tetanurines than Maniraptors would be nice!)

Maniraptors *are* tetanurans. Perhaps you mean "finding a non-maniraptoran
tetanuran flier"?

--T. Mike Keesey                                    <tkeese1@gl.umbc.edu>
WORLDS                                  <http://www.gl.umbc.edu/~tkeese1>
THE DINOSAURICON                               <http://dinosaur.umbc.edu>