Silesaurus and Trialestes

[Tim Williams <twilliams_alpha@hotmail.com>]

Something that occurred to me recently... it would be interesting to compare 
the recently described _Silesaurus opolensis_ with _Trialestes romeri_, 
which was recently touted as a possible early dinosaur (Clark, Sues and 
Berman, 2000).  In both taxa, the forearm is very long, and exceeds the 
length of the humerus.  Both _Silesaurus_ and _Trialestes_ also come from 
around the same ag (late Carnian) (Dzik, 2003), not that that means very 
much by itself.  _Silesaurus_ has a closed acetabulum, whereas that of 
_Trialestes_ is perforate; but this character is very labile in early 
Dinosauria/Dinosauriformes (e.g., _Guaibasaurus_ and _Saturnalia_ both have 
a closed acetabulum).


Tim

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