[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index][Subject Index][Author Index]

Re: Coelurosaur analysis update




Mickey Mortimer

- non-maniraptoriform enigmosaurs and deinonychosaurs.

And thus, if I've understood you correctly, Maniraptoriformes would become a clade *within* Maniraptora.


- a Sauriurae of sorts including the long-tailed birds.

The name "Sauriurae" has been much abused of late - by those who want to put _Archaeopteryx_, Confuciusornithidae and Enantiornithes together into a group that is separate from the Ornithurae. Under this arrangement, birds (Aves) cleave into a neat-and-tidy Sauriurae / Ornithurae dichotomy. This dichotomy currently has absolutely no phylogenetic support.


I'm not aware if Sauriurae (originally Saururae) or Archaeopterygiformes or Archaeornithes have actually received a phylogenetic definition. Any of these names is available should the "long-tailed birds" (or at least some of them, including _Archaeopteryx_) be found to form their own clade within Aves. I believe all these names (and "Ornithopappi") were proposed solely for the reception of _Archaeopteryx_ (including _Archaeornis_, and other assorted synonyms).



Tim

_________________________________________________________________
Get MSN 8 and enjoy automatic e-mail virus protection. http://join.msn.com/?page=features/virus