Talk:Heterodontosaurus

It will be?

I live in Patagonia. I have information on a fosil with different teeth (eyeteeth of carnivore and molares of hervívoro). Until today I could not determine to that species corresponds. I need that a professional (Paleontólogo) writes me to verify if is a Heterodontosaurus. Please Urgent. Victor Feildman mentario@hotmail.com

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Feathers?

Shouldn't Heterodontosaurus have feathers, after all Tianyulong does. DeinonychusDinosaur999 (talk) —Preceding undated comment added 23:08, 19 July 2010 (UTC). It's probable, but not as solidly bracketed as it is for, say, Deinonychus. We're dealing with a sample size of at most two ornithischains with feathers that may or may not be homologous. Still... it would be a fairly safe bet. MMartyniuk (talk) 02:57, 20 July 2010 (UTC)

Yes, but Psittacosaurus also has feather-like quills suggesting that it could of have been present in all (or most) heterodontiformes. Besides, the feathers in raptors are only proven to be in three species (Microraptor, Sinornithosaurus and Velociraptor). Yet we put them in all species. Also we only have one proven species of therizinosaur with feahers (Beipiaosaurus) yet the group gets one. DeinonychusDinosaur999 (talk) —Preceding unsigned comment added by 99.152.6.247 (talk) 00:37, 21 July 2010 (UTC)

Right, but we know that the group ancestral to "raptors" also had feathers, since every group down the tree from them up until carnosaurs have them, and they're all clearly the same structures. With heterodontosaurs, there's still a slight possibility that the feathers of Tianyulong and Psittacosaurus are not the same structure. It's a slim possibility but it's there. Also, we have evidence from species that are within the same phylogenetic bracket that lack feathers, like hadrosaurs. I'm not saying the current picture is accurate, or even likely, just that it can't be proven inaccurate (unlike, say, a featherless Graciliraptor). MMartyniuk (talk) 02:41, 21 July 2010 (UTC)