Re: Campbell's even crazier than a MANIAC? (archeopteryx

[Michael Habib <mhabib5@jhmi.edu>]

> Indeed, apparently among the most basal Palaeognathae and Neognathae 
> alive (tinamous and galliforms) flight is short, and that might be the 
> primitive condition (but not in the also basal Anseriformes), and 
> takes origin from the soil. Perhaps all the Cretaceous birds were not 
> better flyers than tinamous and chickens??.

I'm glad that you brought this up - there is a common misconception 
that galliforms and similar groundbirds are "poor" flyers.  Galliforms, 
in particular, are not "poor" flyers, but instead are burst 
specialists.  Galliforms fatigue rapidly in flight, an thus have poor 
sustained flight ability, but that isn't the same as being bad at 
flight.  In fact, burst launching requires a range of highly derived 
morphological traits.  Tinamous do not have the burst power of 
galliforms, but they are also short-ranged, acceleration specialists.  
Not sure what the launch angle is on tinamous, but galliforms can 
manage a nearly 90 degree launch angle.

Cheers,

--Mike


Michael Habib, M.S.
PhD. Candidate
Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
1830 E. Monument Street
Baltimore, MD 21205
(443) 280 0181
habib@jhmi.edu