Re: Bambiraptor paper published

["Mickey Mortimer" <mickey_mortimer@email.msn.com>]

Nick Pharris wrote-

> Any discussion on why this is not _Velociraptor_/_Saurornitholestes
> langstoni_?

Straight from the paper-

Although nearly contemporaneous with Saurornitholestes langstoni (Sues,
1978), the new taxon is distinguished by its relatively long, anteriorly
tapering frontal. While this feature may be exaggerated due to the
immaturity of the holotype, it is unlikely to be entirely an ontogenetic
difference. The frontals in the holotypes of both species are
nearly the same length, but the orbital rim of B. feinbergi is twice as long
as that of S. langstoni. There is little basis for further comparison since
the holotype of the latter is so incomplete and poorly preserved.
Bambiraptor feinbergi is different from Velociraptor mongoliensis (Osborn,
1924) since the holotype does not have the ventrally depressed nasals or the
resulting bul-bous snout (Barsbold and Osmólska, 1999). V. mongoliensis has
several additional maxillary teeth. The furcula is V-shaped with a rounded
cross section as well as a small hypocleidium, different from the more
Archaeopteryx-like condition of Bambiraptor (Norell, Mackovicky, and Clark,
1997). The pectoral girdles in the described skeletons of V. mongoliensis
(Norell and Makovicky, 1999) are imperfect,
but they appear to have a longer scapulocoracoid suture (fused in the
available specimens) and a smaller acromion. The postacetabular blade of the
ilium is higher (as in Deinonychus) and less tapered (Norell and Makovicky,
1997). Finally, the femur of Velociraptor mongoliensis is reported to have a
fourth trochanter, a feature absent in Bambiraptor and other dromaeosaurids.
Additionally the femur of V. mongoliensis is curved in lateral view similar
to the holotype of B. feinbergi, but in posterior view it is straight. In B.
feinbergi, the femur is also curved in posterior view (Figure 5).

Mickey Mortimer