Re: Who says dromaeosaurs can't fly?

[John Conway <john_conway@mac.com>]

Is it just me, or is there actually little conflict between the 
neoflightless hypothesis and cladism? Greg Paul's tree in DA looks very 
similar to the results of many a phylogenetic analysis. The main 
argument seems to be about the position of _Archaeopteryx_. Big deal.

As a supporter of cladism and neoflightlessness I just don't see the 
problem. Phylogenetic analysis is currently the best tool we have for 
discovering phylogeny. It's not perfect, but many cladists are working 
to improve the method. And I think that phylogenetic analysis WILL be 
able to support neoflightlessness, if given enough fossils.

There seems to be unnecessary polarization over cladistics. We need to 
be building bridges, not burning them. Neoflightlessness doesn't 
require ANY rearrangement of cladograms, if you think about it.

Anyway, that's my 2c...


John Conway, Palaeoartist

"All art is quite useless." - Oscar Wilde

Systematic ramblings: http://homepage.mac.com/john_conway/
Palaeoart: http://homepage.mac.com/john_conway/_palaeoart.html