Re: Mickey's Coelurosaur Analysis Update

["Nick Gardner" <ratites637@hotmail.com>]

Mickey wrote-
> The consensus was-
> |--Tyrannosauridae
> |--Coelurus
> |--Sinosauropteryx
> |--Compsognathus
> |--Scipionyx
> |--Bagaraatan
> `--+--Ornitholestes
>    `--+--+--Achillobator
>       |  |--Utahraptor
>       |  |--Dromaeosaurus
>       |  |--Deinonychus
>       |  |--Saurornitholestes
>       |  |--Velociraptor
>       |  |--IGM 100/1015
>       |  |--Bambiraptor
>       |  `--Sinornithosaurus

You see, dromaeosaurids, Ornitholestes, and tyrannosaurids are all 
relatively close to each other.  Just as I suggested a long time ago, but no 
longer believe for obvious reasons. ;-)


>       `--+--+--+--Alxasaurus
>          |  |  `--+--Segnosaurus
>          |  |     `--Erlikosaurus
>          |  `--+--Caudipteryx zoui
>          |     `--+--Caudipteryx sp. nov.
>          |        `--+--Avimimus
>          |           `--+--Incisivosaurus
>          |              |--Nomingia
>          |              |--Microvenator
>          |              |--Chirostenotes
>          |              `--Oviraptoridae

Looks pretty standard, aside from the

>          `--+--+--+--Harpymimus
>             |  |  `--Pelecanimimus
>             |  `--+--Garudimimus
>             |     `--Ornithomimidae
>             `--+--+--Patagonykus
>                |  `--+--Alvarezsaurus
>                |     `--Mononykinae
>                `--+--+--Sinovenator
>                   |  `--+--Byronosaurus
>                   |     `--+--Sinornithoides
>                   |        `--+--Saurornithoides mongoliensis
>                   |           `--+--Saurornithoides junior
>                   |              `--Troodon
>                   `--+--Microraptor
>                      `--+--Scansoriopteryx
>                         `--+--+--Rahonavis
>                            |  `--+--Jeholornis
>                            |     `--Archaeopteryx
>                            `--+--Confuciusornis
>                               `--+--Iberomesornis
>                                  |--Sinornis
>                                  `--+--Ornithurae
>                                     `--+--Patagopteryx
>                                        `--Yanornis


Aside from the placement of Avimimus as an oviraptorosaur and Archaeopteryx 
and dromaeosaurids not being sistergroups, it does not appear all that 
different from the phylogeny suggested by Gregory S. Paul in Predatory 
Dinosaurs of the World.

Did you include the characters in Makovicky's PhD thesis that found 
Ornitholestes close to the dromaeosaurids or the characters that HP Headden 
suggested for the possibility of O. being close to oviraptorosaurs?


>  I had to exclude Therizinosaurus and Borogovia due to the fact no cranial 
> or axial remains are known.

You will of course be including them in the rest of your analysis, right?


> Interesting.  Confuciusornis ended up as an avian, far away from
> oviraptorosaurs.

Will you be including Sapeornis, Epidendrosaurus, Cryptovolans, 
Changchengornis, Jibeinia, Erliansaurus, Neimongosaurus, Nothronychus, 
Eshanosaurus, and Protopteryx in your analysis at all?  And have you 
considered coding Oviraptoridae as separate OTUs?

> I'll probably do another update when I
> get most of the pectoral and forelimb characters coded.

W4MA... ;-)


Nick Gardner

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