Talk:Ornitholestes

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[edit] Nasal crest?

Wasn't it confirmed recently that Ornitholestes didn't have a nasal crest? Jerkov 11:07, 29 May 2006 (UTC)

Yes, it was just a broken piece of nasal bone. I believe the re-study of the skull was in

Carpenter, Miles, Ostrom and Cloward (2005). "Redescription of the small maniraptoran theropods Ornitholestes and Coelurus from the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation of Wyoming." In Carpenter (ed.). The Carnivorous Dinosaurs. Indiana University Press. 49-71.

Dinoguy2 17:16, 29 May 2006 (UTC)

I've fixed the article to reflect this new info. Appreciate both the question and answer.--Firsfron 17:34, 29 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Other skeletons?

According to the display at the American Museum of Natural History, "Our entire knowledge about the species is based on this specimen, the only fossil of Ornitholestes ever found." The beginning of this article says: "Almost everything known of this species comes from a single skeleton of Ornitholestes." Is the "almost" referring to deductions we can make based on its position in death, bone structure etc. or is there another source such as another skeleton, claw, nest or the like? The former is a given, making the "almost" unnecessary, and misleading since the next sentence mentions a hand mistakingly took to be Ornitholestes. The way it's set up now the reader is left asking either "what else has been discovered" or "I wonder if that means the information we have on Ornitholestes is partially drawn from that mistake in hand identification."Penguinwithin (talk) 01:11, 6 February 2008 (UTC)

As far as I know, there's only one specimen that has been described as Ornitholestes to date where the identification has stuck, and that's the type specimen (paleontologists have to be careful in the Morrison Formation with small theropods, as there are actually about ten small theropods currently known from the Morrison if you don't count Stokesosaurus and Marshosaurus. Most of them are only known from unnamed bits and pieces, but Coelurus, Tanycolagreus, Ornitholestes, and the under-description Wyoming troodontid all have distinct partial skeletons). J. Spencer (talk) 01:29, 6 February 2008 (UTC)

Thanks for the clarification and article change. :)Penguinwithin (talk) 17:06, 8 February 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Charles Knight's Ornitholestes

As I was reading Luis Chiappe's book "Glorified Dinosaurs", I came upon the illustration of a small theropod catching an Archaeopteryx (pg. 102-3). This illustration is used on this web site to promote the idea of a nasal crest-less Ornitholestes, but in the book the dinosaur is identified as a Compsognathus instead. Can I ask what is the reasoning behind the Wikipedia moderators (?) decision to put the rather generic (in my opinion) picture of the dinosaur at the Ornitholestes, and not Compsognathus page? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 99.225.84.73 (talk) 01:47, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

• I've only seen it (and variations of it) described as Ornitholestes in different books, and it seems to be described as such here: [1] Funkynusayri (talk) 02:56, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

I don't have Glorified Dinosaurs, but the image here is Ornitholestes as intended by Knight. Check out William Diller Matthew's 1915 Dinosaurs for corroboration. J. Spencer (talk) 03:00, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

I remember seeing it listed as Compsognathus...er, somewhere, before. Can't recall where, may have been an online Knight gallery. It would make sense, considering it looks like it's attacking an Archaeopteryx. But if Knight intended it as Ornitholestes + generic early bird, that's the way it is. If he intended to bird to be Archie, we should put a note in the caption about how this is geographically incorrect. Dinoguy2 (talk) 04:56, 28 March 2008 (UTC)