re: Bird-like fossil footprints from the Late Triassic

[David Marjanovic <david.marjanovic@gmx.at>]

> > David, you might be confusing a tibiofibulotarsus [...] with the
> > tarsometatarsus

Oops! Surprisingly, I did manage to confuse these. However...

> The tarsometarsus can explain the angle. The hallux... IONO, not
> necessarily but it is possible. Also, presence of a tarsometatarsus correlates
> *rather* well with the ability to leave birdlike footprints in taxa we know 
> for
> sure.

...I still don't understand that. Theropod and ornithopod tracks, not to 
mention the tracks *Effigia* must have made, are surely birdlike enough; why 
should fusion of the already closely appressed, mutually immobile, elongated 
metatarsals lead to a wider angle between the toes?
-- 
"Feel free" - 5 GB Mailbox, 50 FreeSMS/Monat ...
Jetzt GMX ProMail testen: http://www.gmx.net/de/go/promail