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

[Michael Habib <mhabib5@jhmi.edu>]

> PS: What about the strong trend of cursorial small *crown* theropods 
> to lose their hallux entirely? It simply works far better with three 
> toes only. IIRC there is NO living bird, and at best very few extinct 
> ones, that engage in vigorous running for a living and have anything 
> but a vestigial elevated hallux. Archie's feet do not look like the 
> feet of an animal that was good at take-off runs.

Roadrunners are zygodactyl: 
http://www.boneclones.com/images/bc-243-set-lg.jpg

I don't see any particular reason to presume that Archaeopteryx could 
not run effectively, but I wouldn't expect it to run to launch, anyway.

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