Re: The Peters Strikes Back (pterosaurs)

[Ronald Orenstein <ornstn@rogers.com>]

At 06:05 PM 10/10/03 -0500, david peters wrote:
> Entirely valid BUT pterosaur hindlimb diversity is still
> lower than that seen in decoupled birds. That's the point.
>
> >> You're assuming that pterosaur hind limbs are coupled. Hind limb 
> diversity -- or
> _any_ kind of statistical analysis might not show that. Only _evidence_ 
> can show that.

This is certainly true.  However, I think hind limb diversity is at least 
suggestive.  Has anyone done a statistical analysis of the subject, 
comparing birds, pterosaurs and bats?  There is diversity in bat hind limbs 
too (think of the fish-catching talons of the New World fishing bats, for 
example, or the limbs of mystacinids).  It just doesn't come within a mile 
of what we see in birds (and if the hind limbs were not coupled, and 
pterosaurs were as aquatic as we think, I might have expected a few really 
long-legged wading types to show up).


--
Ronald I. Orenstein                           Phone: (905) 820-7886
International Wildlife Coalition              Fax/Modem: (905) 569-0116
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