Re: Meet Protopteryx: two Yixian maniraptorans in one week!

[ELurio@aol.com]

In a message dated 12/7/00 5:53:42 PM, tholtz@geol.umd.edu writes:

<< _Protopteryx_ is a nearly-complete enantiornithine, with a good skull.  
Lots

of great skeletal information there, potentially.  The article focuses on

the long _Confuciusornis_ like tail feathers, which lacks barbs or rami at

the proximal end.  The authors suggest the following evolutionary series in

the development of feathers:

(i) elongation of scales

(ii) appearance of a central shaft

(iii) differentiation of vanes into barbs

(iv) appearance of barbules and barbicel >>

Isn't it funny that in the recent "refutation" of Longisumata (sic) that 
what's described in (i) above was laughed off has having nothing whatsoever 
to do with the evolution of feathers!

eric l.