Re: Bambiraptor paper published

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

Nick Pharris wrote-

> I know Pete and I have discussed this before, but is anyone else struck by
> the resemblance between _Bambiraptor_ (it almost hurts to type it) and
> _Unenlagia_, particularly in the hip?

Not really.  The pubic foot is rather similar how it projects almost
dorsally, but besides that there's not much the two have in common outside
of other eumaniraptorans.  Notable differences include:
Bambiraptor has-
five sacral vertebrae
shorter preacetabular process
larger ventral preacetabular process
no dorsal tubercle over the caudal acetabulum
lower ilium
notched pubic peduncle
pubis more opisthopubic
shorter pubic foot
longer ischium
obturator process more distally placed
less prominent proximodorsal ischial process placed further down shaft
Besides the pelvis, they are rather difficult to compare however, due to
brief descriptions of both and the fragmentary nature of Unenlagia.

I added Bambiraptor and Variraptor to my database and the results are the
same, except for the resolution within the Dromaeosauridae has improved.
The structure is now (Sinornithosaurus (Bambiraptor ((Variraptor +
Achillobator) (Velociraptor (Deinonychus + Dromaeosaurus))))).  Note that
Unenlagia and Rahonavis are still closer to birds than to dromaeosaurs.

Mickey Mortimer