Re: Archaeopteryx and Parental Care

[Dinogeorge@aol.com]

In a message dated 2/5/02 6:35:37 PM EST, ptnorton@msn.com writes:

<< I'm not clear on this, George. This sounds like a cursorial origin theory 
to me. >>

No, the wings originated in an arboreal dino-bird. But arboreal animals do 
become grounded from time to time. Once the wings develop a certain level of 
flightworthiness, the dino-bird certainly can use them in running takeoffs 
from the ground. This is better, I would think, than having to find a tree to 
climb up. This is also something early pterosaurs and bats couldn't do, 
because their wings involved the legs as well as the arms. And this may 
account for the strong cursorial hind limbs that dino-birds bequeathed to 
their theropod and avian descendants, the existence of which inspired the 
cursorial theory of avian-flight origins.