RE: FEATHERS FOR T-REX?

["Ken Kinman" <kinman@hotmail.com>]

     I think Coelurus (or even Ornitholestes) are more likely 
"maniraptoriforms" than Sinosauropteryx.  As for Plesion Alvarezsaurus, it 
too seems to be in this same early maniraptoriform part of the tree (and 
probably therizinosaurs as well, although many people seem to have 
difficulty accepting that possibility).
     Order Mononykiformes on the other hand is right where I put them eight 
years ago, splitting off between Archaeopterygiformes and 
Iberomesornithiformes.  The only difference is that there are a lot of other 
new clades in there as well.  It is astounding how much new diversity has 
been discovered in just that small part of the tree in just 8-9 years 
(confuciusornithids, Protopteryx, Longipterygids, Jibeina, Hulsanpes, even 
if you don't yet believe all of those "oviraptorosaurs" go in there as 
well).
    In any case, if you want to group Alvarezsaurus and mononykiforms 
together, it would be better to call them alvarezsaurians.  Putting them all 
into one alvarezsaurid family was a mistake, and that is a bad habit that 
should probably be broken as soon as possible.  And it will help cushion the 
shock if Mickey's analysis demonstrates the non-holophyly of 
"Alvarezsauria".
     I just read Brian's (philidor's) post, and I think people should 
simply stop using the taxon name Arctometatarsalia, along with a few other 
names (like Carnosauria).  Almost all groups with arctometatarsalian feet 
(arctomets, subarctomets, hyperarctomets) are not members of 
Arctometatarsalia, and that seems rather senseless.  It would be like 
keeping "Vermes" around for just the earthworms (if someone had anchored 
Vermes on an earthworm genus).
       --------- Ken



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