Re: Emus a Model for Dinosaurs?

[Michael Skrepnick <palaeopaint@dinosaursinart.com>]

. . .  amendment. . .

. . .fourth trochanter ( a necessary attachment for caudofemoralis / 
hindlimb retraction
> in MOST acetabulum driven locomotion in theropods ). . .

. . .Lack of a 4th trochanter OR SIMILARLY LOCATED POINT OF ATTACHMENT for 
m.CAUDOFEMORALIS
> would seem to be a far more overwhelming obstacle to performing 
> traditional bipedal theropod locomotion. . .

. . . ( where then in fact is the INSERTION for a
> caudofemoral retractor in Caudipteryx? IF NOT OCCUPYING A POSITION SIMILAR 
> TO THAT IN MOST THEROPODS, HAS IT MIGRATED PROXIMALLY TO THAT FOUND IN 
> BIRDS THAT STILL RETAIN THE MUSCLE, RESULTING IN A REDUCED ARC OF MOVEMENT 
> AND SUBSEQUENT RELIANCE ON KNEE MOTION AS IN BIRDS. . .


. . . essentially does a missing 4th trochanter ( OR EQUIVALENT FEMORAL m.CF 
POINT OF INSERTION ) + POTENTIAL "CONVERGENT" KNEE DRIVEN LOCOMOTION IN 
CAUDIPTERYX TRUMP THE OPPOSING VIEW ADDRESSING THE LACK OF A DERIVED ROBUST 
FEMOR ( AS IN MODERN BIRDS ). . . AND IS THIS NECESSARY IN A FORM THAT MAY 
HAVE REVERTED FROM A "FAILED" EVOLUTIONARY ATTEMPT AT A FLIGHTED CONDITION, 
BUT STILL RETAINED A BIRD LIKE HINDLIMB LOCOMOTION, A RESULT OF AN 
ABBREVIATED TAIL AND A SHIFTED CENTER OF GRAVITY / MASS



hope this makes a little more sense. . . been a long day.

Mike S.