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David Marjanovic wrote-
> Unfortunately "manus" again, allegedly with a
longer u... manus belongs to the u declination,
> which has plural on -us, whereas most
other words (humerus, radius, astragalus, tarsus...) on > -us belong to
the o declination, which has -i.
But how am I supposed to indicate both were
preserved then? "....., two manus, ......"? Sounds
awkward.
> A cotylar articulation without cranial
kinesis?
This is what Maryanska and Osmolska
(2000) have to say about oviraptorids- "This process (on the quadrate)
bears a large concave surface that receives the large condyle on the
posteroventral extremity of the quadratojugal."
> What exactly is a hypopubic cup?
An expanded, posteriorly concave area on the distal
pubis. Martin and others claim it was present in Archaeopteryx (instead of
a pubic foot, as that would be theropod-like). Norell and Makovicky (1999)
show that the supposed cup in Archaeopteryx is actually a calcite mass and that
Velociraptor may actually have a slight cup. Forster et al. (1998) state a
hypopubic cup is present in Rahonavis, but Geist and Feduccia (2000) think it
was absent. I think it may have something to do with the avian respiratory
system, but I'm not sure.
> which is odd, considering the 5 sacral
vertebrae (don't other oviraptorosaurs have 7 and birds 8 > or
more?)
Yes, but also visible in Nomingia. And if you
count those vertebrae that are sutured to the sacrum (but don't contact the
ilia) as sacrals, Nomingia has nine dorsals and seven
sacrals.
> Is it possible that all known specimens (that
stretches it, of course) are immature, which could > explain the unfused
sterna (sutured in Velociraptor, fused AFAIK in other oviraptorosaurs,
> Pelicanimimus, tyrannosaurids,
Sinraptor...) and the 5 sacrals?
I knew there was something I would forget in that
gigantic post. Ji et al. think NGMC 97-4-A and NGMC 97-9-A were adult
based on the well-ossified sternal plates, sternal ribs, carpals and
tarsus. The other specimens are of similar size and also preserve those
elements (as well as uncinate processes), so can be assumed to have been adults
as well. Also, most sterna are sutured in oviraptorids, not fused. I
believe only one example of a fused sternum is known from an oviraptorid,
currently referred to Ingenia. I'm sure Jaime can elaborate and/or correct
me if I got some details wrong.
> mmmm... which ones?
Promaxillary fenestra absent; first premaxillary
tooth much larger than others; elongate narial fossa; posterior margin of
ischium concave.
Mickey Mortimer
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