FURCULAE OF NON-AVIAN THEROPODS AND BASAL BIRDS
The morphologies and structures of the furculae in non-avian theropods and basal birds are reviewed. The furculae of non-avian theropods are homologous with the avian furculae. The presence of a furcula in different non-avian theropods (coelophysoids, allosaurids, carcharodontosaurids, compsognathids, tyrannosauroids, oviraptorids, therizinosauroids, troodontids, and dromaeosaurids) indicates that the furcula is not a diagnostic feature for birds, but may be a synapomorphy for Theropoda. The presence of hypocleideum represents a more derived feature through the development of furcula, and the hypocleideum arose independently at least five times in different maniraptoran clades. Moreover, the narrow interclavicular angle of the furcula in maniraptorans (including birds) is evidently more derived than the wide angle in non-maniraptoran theropods.
Ji Shuan
Institute of Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing 100037, China
国际会议
2005·河源国际恐龙学术研讨会(2005 Heyuan International Dinosaur Symposium)
广东河源
英文
115-128
2005-04-08（万方平台首次上网日期，不代表论文的发表时间）