Re: Mickey's Coelurosaur Analysis Update

["Nick Gardner" <ratites637@hotmail.com>]

Mickey Mortimer wrote-
> I couldn't find the characters you refer to that link Ornitholestes and
> oviraptorosaurs, though Jaime seems to not support this relationship
> anymore.  Where were they listed?

These do not necessarily support a relationship between the two, but there 
are similarities between the shape of the lacrimal and the strongly pedant 
paroccipital processes have been noted in Incisivosaurus (and possibly other 
oviraptorosaurs) and Ornitholestes (J. Headden,onlist).  The pectoral girdle 
and ilium of Ornitholestes has been described as oviraptorosaur like.  I'm 
not sure what features are present though to describe it as such.  I've 
never seen any figures of Ornitholestes in order to compare it to anything.  
I can't find a list of specific characters, which is odd.


Refer to-
http://www.cmnh.org/dinoarch/1998Jun/msg00024.html
http://www.cmnh.org/dinoarch/2001Jul/msg00595.html
http://www.cmnh.org/dinoarch/2002Sep/msg00445.html


>    |  `--+--Bambiraptor
>    |     `--Sinornithosaurus

Reminds me of-
http://www.cmnh.org/dinoarch/2000Apr/msg00417.html




>          `--+--+--Patagonykus
>             |  `--+--Alvarezsaurus
>             |     `--+--Mononykinae
>             |        `--+--Pelecanimimus
>             |           `--Harpymimus

It's interesting how many have often suggested H. wasn't ornithomimosaur, 
but I bet they weren't expecting this!  I don't find the presence of P. here 
too suprising considering the analysis has only cranial characters so far.

>             `--+--Troodontidae (same topology)
>                `--+--Rahonavis
>                   `--+--Archaeopteryx
>                      `--Microraptor

Alvarezsaurids and troodontids are successive sistergroups to Aves.  Sounds 
familiar...


Nick Gardner

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