Aussie hypsies (was Re: Dwarf Allosaurs)

["Timothy Williams" <twilliams_alpha@hotmail.com>]

Dann Pigdon wrote:

> There was also quite
> a variety of hypsilophodontid species from the southern Victorian sites, 
> some of
> them quite large for hypsies.

With _Qantassaurus_ the tally is now four (including the poorly-known 
_Fulgurotherium_).  It may be that the phyletic diverity of Aussie 
ornithopods may be greater than usually thought.  As somebody pointed out in 
a previous posting (forgotten who, maybe it was you Dann! - apologies if it 
was) the "hypsilophodontid" _Atlascopcosaurus_ shows striking similarities 
in dental morphology to _Muttaburrasaurus_ (originally regarded as an 
iguanodontid, but now placed near the base of the Euornithopoda).  The 
Aussie ornithopod genera which we call "hypsilophodontids" may represent 
several different euornithopod lineages.

I've heard from several sources that there's a paper coming out soon that 
splits the Hypsilophodontidae up into several not-so-closely-related 
lineages.  I can't wait to see it.  At the very least, it could put a whole 
new spin on the relationships of the Aussie hypsilophodontids.


Tim


______________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com