Re: Confuciusornithids are Oviraptorids ;-)

["David Marjanovic" <david.marjanovic@gmx.at>]

 

In the vein of recent discussions involving enigmosaurs and alvarezsaurids, I figured I'd present a similar case as an example of how easy it is to make an alternative phylogeny.  This phylogeny is supported by good synapomorphies, but is less parsimonious than the currently accepted one.

Congratulations!!! =8-) Impressive list! 14 characters is more than the 13 for Alvarezsauria! ;-)

9. double-headed quadrate

In confuciusornithids, oviraptorids and probably Chirostenotes.  Would help explain why Sinornis, Patagopteryx and hesperornithiformes have single-headed quadrates.

This may well be a symplesiomorphy, and is probably reversed in the Ornithothoraces you mention. See http://www.cmnh.org/fun/dinosaur-archive/2001Jun/msg00342.html (scroll down to almost the end) and your follow-up.

14. manual ungual II much smaller than I

Another synapomorphy indicating Ingenia the confuciusornithid sister group, not known in any other theropod.

Apart from Compsognathidae and Mononykinae at least. :-)

This makes the so far unnamed clade Enigmosauria + Paraves the Pygostylia.

BTW, has someone meanwhile found out who defined Pygostylia when? I haven't. Thanks in advance for info.