RE: Troodon/Orodromeus hypothesis

[Jaime Headden <qi_leong@hotmail.com>]

  Jason, I think you misunderstood me. I tried to state that the text indicates 
that the eggshell fragments attached to the troodontid hatchling skulls _are_ 
elongatoolithid, and therefore NON-troodontid eggshell, but actually 
oviraptorid in nature. In other words, that the troodontid skulls are 
associated with broken oviraptorid eggshell. The quote was not intended to 
affirm association of the skulls to the nest, but the eggshell-type to the 
skulls.

Cheers,

Jaime A. Headden
The Bite Stuff (site v2)
http://qilong.wordpress.com/

"Innocent, unbiased observation is a myth." --- P.B. Medawar (1969)


"Ever since man first left his cave and met a stranger with a
different language and a new way of looking at things, the human race
has had a dream: to kill him, so we don't have to learn his language or
his new way of looking at things." --- Zapp Brannigan (Beast With a Billion 
Backs)





----------------------------------------
> Date: Sat, 14 May 2011 10:32:07 -0400
> From: jaseb@amnh.org
> To: qi_leong@hotmail.com
> CC: jaseb@amnh.org; dinosaur@usc.edu
> Subject: RE: Troodon/Orodromeus hypothesis
>
> Jaime,
>
> We agree utterly that that the eggs in the nest from Xanadu locality are
> oviraptorid.
>
> I was discussing the fragments of eggshell found adhered to the
> Byronosaurus rostra. I thought you were suggesting that they are also
> oviraptorid. I don't think anyone has attempted to analyze those fragments
> microscopically, probably they are loathe to degrade such rare fossils.
>
> And it seems to me that it stands this way: that all three hypotheses to
> explain the presence of the Byronosaurus remains in the oviraptorid nest
> are still possible, and none are supported by the evidence any better than
> the others.
>
>
>
>
> Jason Brougham
> Senior Principal Preparator
> Department of Exhibition
> American Museum of Natural History
> 81st Street at Central Park West
> 212 496 3544
> jaseb@amnh.org
>