RE: New theropod phylogenetics paper :-)

["Williams, Tim" <TiJaWi@agron.iastate.edu>]

Vorompatra@aol.com wrote:

>There's a difference between the term "apes" as
>you use it above, and "apes" as most people understand it--one hardly >ever
sees a human on display in the Ape House at a Zoo 

I have.  Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia, once showed a satirical exhibit
featuring a human office worker in his "natural habitat" (i.e. an office).
He was an actor, and he exaggerated the frenzied activity of a guy stuck in
the rat race.  Kinda funny.  And sad too.

"no go" wrote:

>Prehaps the "bumblebee" anthology could hold some water after all. 

Didn't know bumblebees wrote poetry.  These are fascinating creatures!

;-)

On an unintentionally comical note, Ken Kinman wrote:

>The only way you can get around this is to cladistic redefine Reptilia, 
>and that is exactly what strict cladists have been doing for years, and
>they can't even decide among themselves which of their warped >definitions
should be adopted.  

It's funny you mentioned "warped definitions".  I distinctly recall someone
on this list trying to re-define Aves on the basis of the design of the
wrist and shoulder.  I remember the tortuous contortions that this
ramshackle attempt at re-definition entailed, running roughshod over decades
of hard paleontological research.  I don't see any horde of converts rushing
to embrace this particular classificationary system.



Tim

------------------------------------------------------------ 

Timothy J. Williams 

USDA-ARS Researcher 
Agronomy Hall 
Iowa State University 
Ames IA 50014 

Phone: 515 294 9233 
Fax:   515 294 3163