RE: Phylogeny vs. taxonomy, and the Fightin' Dinos exhibit at AMNH (was RE: Rock'n'roll !)

["Tracy Ford" <tlford@ix.netcom.com>]

>>By the way, a chance to remark on the Fighting Dinosaurs exhibit at the
American Museum:
Got to see the display yesterday (along with Greg Paul, Matt Lamanna, Josh
Smith, Bob Walters, Tess Kissinger & Bruce Mohn).
Excellent, excellent fossils.  Okay, ornithischian fans will find it wanting
(a nice growth series of _Protoceratops_ and a _Pinacosaurus_ skull), but
very good lizards, mammals, and coelurosaurs.  The latter include:
        Two large nesting oviraptorids: Big Mama and an undescribed one.
Very good
clear ossified uncinate processes on the undescribed one.
        The "love bird" oviraptorids.
        The skull of a tall crested oviraptorid.
        The type skull of _Velociraptor mongoliensis_ and a new
_Velociraptor_
skeleton.
        A new robust-skulled dromaeosaur (only the skull on display).
        A troodontid nest with hatchling bones.
        The type _Byronosaurus_ snout.
        The type of _Shuvuuia_, including postcranial material.
and, one that was new to me:
        A new taxon of small coelurosaur (not much bigger than _Rahonavis_
or
_Archaeopteryx_) with a troodontid-like postcranium and teeth, but
(apparently) without a postorbital (a la the condition in birds).  In fact,
the skull of this creature is very similar to Chatterjee's reconstruction of
_Protoavis_!!
Of course, the fighting dinosaur pair themselves.
Also, so feathery reconstructions of the coelurosaurs (I like the _Shuvuuia_
color patterns), a CG reconstruction of the Fight.

Two major drawbacks with the exhibit: it is expensive to get into ($15 for
the museum + this exhibit), and the lighting is horrible (so much so that
some of the signage is unreadable).

Still, definitely worth it.<<

I'm planning on visiting the exhibit late October. (Hopefully there won't be
a large crowd then). But I don't know where to stay yet. In Manhatten or
near by and take the train or subway.
Any suggestions, please contact me off list.
Tracy