RE: Feathers for T-rex?

["Tim Williams" <twilliams_alpha@hotmail.com>]

Aaron Sticht wrote:

> I have read in some texts that Compsognathus was a direct ancestor of the 
> Tyrannosauridae.
> If I am incorrect in this please correct me.

Compsognathids and tyrannosaurids appear to lie in the same general part of 
the theropod family tree, i.e. within or close to basal Maniraptoriformes.  
I don't think it is entirely correct to say that _Compsognathus_ was the 
direct ancestor of Tyrannosauridae.  Putative tyrannosaurid material (e.g., 
_Stokesosaurus_) is roughly contemporary with _Compsognathus_, at Late 
Jurassic age.  BTW, as you probably know, compsognathids are no longer 
considered to have a didactyl (two-fingered) manus, thus removing one 
potential character for uniting compsognathids and tyrannosaurids.

Hope I answered your question.



Tim

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