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

[evelyn sobielski <koreke77@yahoo.de>]

> However, I know, Anseriformes, which seem to be the
> sister-group of
> Galliformes, can engage in sustained flight, so the
> Galliform
> short-range flight can be an apomorphic reversal. But,
> according to
> the EPB, we should posit that sustained flight may be a
> sinapomorphy
> of Neognathae (with an apomorphic reversal in galliforms),
> as only
> short-range fliers or non-fliers are found basal to
> Neognathae (i.e.,
> Palaeognathae). Alternatively, sustained flight should
> independently
> appear in Anseriformes and the sister group of
> Galloanserae, which
> however also indicates sustained flight has to be inferred
> as being
> restricted to the Neognathae.

The fossil record may be fragmentary, but the geographic coverage is 
comprehensive enough. It can be seen that for Neornithes and advanced 
Enantiornithes but probably *not* for many of related minor lineages sustained 
flight on a regular basis was no problem by the Late Cretaceous. They could and 
did cross oceans ever so often.

OTOH, you have things incertae sedis that scream "short-distance burst flyer" 
like *Piksi*, and of course you have Hesperornithes which totally sucked in the 
flight department :)


Regards,

Eike 

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