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Third claw for climbing was Re: Pro(to)avis
On Fri, 16 Sep 2005, Tim Williams wrote:
One curious aspect of avian evolution (at least, curious to me) is that the
shortening of the tail and development of a pygostyle occurred in birds that
had rather long legs (e.g.,_Sinornis_). I think one of Gatesy's papers
discusses this too. So early ornithothoracine birds dispensed with the tip
fan, but kept their "primitive" theropod legs.
Just a question: how helpful could be enlarged third claws of some
theropods during climbing tree trunks?
It occured to me that some maniraptorians with enlarged claw on legs were
rather slim animals, not build for wrestling big prey. And it was first
answer which came to my mind.
J.