Re: Waimanu & avian evolution (comments)

[jrc <jrccea@bellsouth.net>]

Why would deforestation knock out giant pterosaurs; they don't appear to 
have been tree dwellers or to have made their living flying through the 
woods.  On the other hand, Nathan Bedford Forrest might likely have taken 
them out should the opportunity have arisen.  He was certainly predjudiced 
against other life forms.....

Re individual species of late, large pterosaurs going extinct and making 
room for birds to evolve into their niche, the niche would likely have been 
filled by another species of large pterosaur long before a bird could evolve 
into it -- the niches mostly involved marine soaring, so were a small step 
for another pterosaur, but a giant leap for a small, non-soaring bird.

Jim

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <dinoboygraphics@aol.com>
To: <jrccea@bellsouth.net>; <mhabib5@jhmi.edu>
Cc: <dinosaur@usc.edu>
Sent: Friday, May 19, 2006 9:24 AM
Subject: Re: Waimanu & avian evolution (comments)


> Whether they would have kicked out in the Miocene, or the last ones would 
> have hung on to be eliminated by deforestation (after posing with Civil 
> War soldiers...) is anyones guess.