Re: transitional fossils

["Grant Harding" <granth@cyberus.ca>]

A few comments/questions of my own here...

T. Michael Keesey, among others, wrote:
>Check out the Talk.Origins Transitional Vertebrates at
><http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/faq-transitional.html>.

The "transitions among reptiles" section of that site lists four transitions
within the Dinosauria, all found by Horner et al. (some of which were also
briefly mentioned in _The Complete T. rex_), which sounded very interesting
to me.  They are:

1. "Many transitional ceratopsids between _Styracosaurus_ and
_Pachyrhinosaurus_".  These are quite obviously "transitional taxon A*",
_Einiosaurus_ and _Achelousaurus_.  But from what I have been hearing
recently, although many scientists support the very close relationship of
the latter two to each other and to _Pachyrhino_, they do not agree with the
_Styraco_ interpretation.  Is this indeed the case?  What IS the general
consensus regarding these guys? And have any conclusions been reached
regarding "transitional taxon A*" - i.e. is it _Brachyceratops montanensis_
as has been suggested, or some other already-known-of ceratopsian, or
something new?

2.  "Many transitional lambeosaurids (50! specimens) between _Lambeosaurus_
and _Hypacrosaurus_".  Sounds very interesting, and I think I've heard some
talk on these guys.  Anyone have more information, especially on what most
people have concluded about them?

3.  "A transitional pachycephalosaurid between _Stegoceras_ and
_Pachycephalosaurus_".   Never heard of THIS before!  Anyone have any other
information at all?  (And yes, I know, read the original paper... :)

4.  Finally, "A transitional tyrannosaurid between _Tyrannosaurus_ and
_Daspletosaurus_".  Any updates on what's happening with this?  It sounds
really cool and useful, and the last I heard, it was going to be described
by Holtz, Currie and Varricchio in their "copious free time".  And most
importantly, anyone know where I can find some pictures of it, especially
line drawings of the skull?  (I am already aware of the photos in _Dino
Lives_ and _James Gurney's etc._.)

Thanks in advance, all!

-Grant

--
Grant Harding
High school student/amateur paleontologist
granth@cyberus.ca
Visit Grant Harding's Dinosaur Destination at
http://www.cyberus.ca/~sharding/grant/
"I'm the boss around here!" --_Pachyrhinosaurus_