Titanis (was Re-T-Rex?)

[Tim Williams <twilliams_alpha@hotmail.com>]

Mickey Mortimer wrote:

> Titanis walleri
>
> The hand isn't actually complete.  Details are in the DML archives, but I
> think only the mobile base of a digit is known, suggesting the digit was
> well developed, perhaps with a large claw.

That's right - no wing-claws are known for _Titanis_.  The shape of the 
proximal part of the major wing digit suggests that this digit was mobile, 
which lead to speculation that this digit might have sported a claw.

Like most other phorusrhacids, _Titanis_ is only known from fragmentary 
material (as Mickey's post mentioned).  _Titanis_ is thought to have been a 
predator based on its inclusion in the Phorusrhacidae.  Its presumed 
predatory habits has led to the notion that its forelimbs were some how used 
in predation - perhaps in a similar manner to the puny forelimbs of 
tyrannosaurids.




Tim

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