Microraptor's modern analog?

["Thomas R. Holtz, Jr." <tholtz@umd.edu>]

Not very original in this: in fact, I suggested something similar for
Archaeotperyx back in the early 1990s.

But we have modern animals that feed on fish. And on birds. And on small
terrestrial tetrapods. And they are not swimming adapted, and (while good
climbers) are not necessarily tree specialists.

These are small felids. A bird killer doesn't have to kill them in the
trees; a fish killer doesn't need to swim after them. If it is a stealthy
animal with grasping claws it can do both jobs and still eat plenty of
small terrestrial tetrapods.

Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
Email: tholtz@umd.edu   Phone: 301-405-4084
Office: Centreville 1216
Senior Lecturer, Vertebrate Paleontology
Dept. of Geology, University of Maryland
http://www.geol.umd.edu/~tholtz/
Fax: 301-314-9661

Faculty Director, Science & Global Change Program, College Park Scholars
http://www.geol.umd.edu/sgc
Fax: 301-314-9843

Mailing Address:        Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
                        Department of Geology
                        Building 237, Room 1117
                        University of Maryland
                        College Park, MD 20742 USA

Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
Email: tholtz@umd.edu   Phone: 301-405-4084
Office: Centreville 1216
Senior Lecturer, Vertebrate Paleontology
Dept. of Geology, University of Maryland
http://www.geol.umd.edu/~tholtz/
Fax: 301-314-9661

Faculty Director, Science & Global Change Program, College Park Scholars
http://www.geol.umd.edu/sgc
Fax: 301-314-9843

Mailing Address:        Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
                        Department of Geology
                        Building 237, Room 1117
                        University of Maryland
                        College Park, MD 20742 USA