Re: [RE: A glider?]

[Dino Guy and Computer Gal <gbabcock@best.com>]

Berislav Krzic wrote:

> "It seems to me Heilmann was right with his hypothesis. Now I am almost 100%
> convinced that bird flight evolved from the trees down... At least once.
> Heilmann's proposed name "Protoavis" would fit this critter just fine.

A minor clarification: _Protoavis_ has already been applied to Sankar
Chatterjee's controversial Triassic bird specimen (sic).  On the other hand,
Heilmann applied the name "Proavis" to his hypothetical theropodan bird
ancestor.  Unless it is officially retracted, the name _Protoavis_ will remain
with the Chatterjee fossil, and would be unavailable for the new dromaeosaur
specimen unless the two could be considered congeneric (which they most
certainly could not).

-- Ralph W. Miller III   ralph.miller@alumni.usc.edu
Either way, they're easier to pronounce than _Sinoproavisauromaniraptoropteryx
storrsconniptionus_!