On 10/23/2011 1:55 AM, Tim Williams wrote:
Examination of the pes shows that the hallux was fairly short and not reversed, contradicting what one would expect in a perching bird.
Examination of the entire skeleton shows beyond doubt that _Archaeopteryx_ was not specialized for an arboreal lifestyle.
It is worth mentioning that cycads and plants with similar morphology can be easily utilized as perches, roosts, havens and restaurants by animals whose lifestyle could be characterized functionally by the term 'turkey w/ teeth' -- I am not saying that Arch. definitely was a 'toothed turkey' in it's lifestyle, but it certainly seems plausible.
Cycads often have slanting/curved trunks -- particularly when massed together -- and a rough, often stepwise exterior that is easily negotiated by small animals w/ claws. The usual rosette at the top is a form that even a medium size dog or boy can "perch" in -- not in comfort perhaps, but w/out risk of falling.
In fact, getting out of a cycad might be harder than getting up one -- hence the advantage of parachuting abilities.
Heh. Some personal observations, there...
IMHO, the fossil evidence points to a "long-fuse" development of the modern avian flight apparatus. Over a long period of time, and within multiple lineages, paravians were engaged in aerial behavior that did not qualify as true powered flight.
Yep.