Re: Major new paper on dromaeosaurids, with other significant maniraptoran info

[David Marjanovic <david.marjanovic@gmx.at>]

> Somebody showed me a copy - so I don't have reprints (alas) to pass
around.

:-(

> Senter et al. (2004) re-interpret the element described by Perle et al.
> (1999) as a second pedal ungual as a first manual ungual.

That explains something! :-)

> They dispute the presence of an enlarged second pedal ungual in
> _Jeholornis_, and point out that is no larger (relative to phalanx II-2)

Ah, but perhaps the entire 2nd toe is enlarged? Normally that comparison is
made with the ungual of the 3rd toe.

> Also, as previously mentioned, the three Jiufotang microraptorians
> (_Microraptor zhaoianus_, _M. gui_, _Cryptovolans pauli)
> are considered synonymous.

<flick, flick>
:-o
Many thanks for alerting me that they're from the Jiufotang Formation. I've
read the description of *M. zhaoianus* several times, but I hadn't noticed
that it's not from the Yixian Fm, even though the description makes it very
clear!!!