Re: How did dromaeosaurs use their arms?

[Dinogeorge@aol.com]

In a message dated 5/10/00 8:30:23 PM EST, ornstn@home.com writes:

<< I'm afraid this isn't much of a point, because there are no living 
 feathered creatures that are not birds.  Therefore ALL feathered creatures 
 living today are descended from flying ancestors. >>

That's >exactly< my point. Feathered wings evolved just once. If feathered or 
feathery or hairy forelimbs conferred any kind of real advantage on a 
ground-dwelling cursorial vertebrate, we would see more such animals than 
just birds. Think of how many streamlined marine vertebrates (and 
invertebrates) there are besides fishes. A streamlined body shape is almost a 
mandatory asset to a water-dwelling predator that relies on speed and 
maneuverability to capture prey.