RE: Two "new" papers and a query for Thomas Holtz

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

Thomas Holtz wrote:

> Quite so!!  As I stated in my review, the Czerkas et al. papers suffer
> from a very typological mode of systematics rather than a phylogenetic 
> one 

The Czerkas papers have achieved something quite rare in the annals of
paleontology: the proposed phylogeny has the potential to be offensive to
both those who favor the origin of birds from theropods, and the BAND/ABSRD
camp.  Czerkas et al. hold that dromaeosaurids are not true theropod
dinosaurs, but secondarily flightless birds; and that birds and dromies (and
_Scansoriopteryx_) share a "pre-theropodan" origin.  The similarities
between dromies and "true" theropods is attributed to convergence.  No, I'm
not making this up.

The volume features some superb illustrations, though.  (Except, maybe, the
model of _Deinonychus_ on p.98, which looks like Big Bird's evil cousin.)



Tim