I disagree. A spine table is a structure formed by the distal transverse
expansion of a neural spine. Note a few quotes from Makovicky's (1995)
thesis on coelurosaur vertebral morphology-
on Microvenator- "The spine is not expanded into a spine table distally,
..."
on Avimimus- "The distal end does not expand into a spine table." on
Saurornitholestes- "The tip bears a moderately expanded spine table, which
is proportionally smaller than in Deinonychus." "Dorsally the cervical
neural spine is expanded into a spine table."
on Archaeopteryx- "Each one has a straight dorsal edge that is not expanded
into spine table."
on Ornitholestes- "The distal end is more expanded lateromedially than it
is
at midheight, but it does not form a true spine table."
Finally, a character from his phylogenetic analysis- 23. Distal end of
dorsal neural spines not transversely expanded = 0.
Distal part of neural spine expanded to form a "spine table" = 1 (Gauthier,
1986).
Rob Gay wrote-
But also present in phytosaurs and aetosaurs. How well developed are they
in
those two groups that you mentioned as opposed to known armour-bearing
animals?
I couldn't say, lacking any good references on crurotarsans. Deinonychus
does have better developed spine tables than Ceratosaurus though.
Mickey Mortimer