User blog comment:BastionMonk/No feathers in JPIV/@comment-1791057-20130322165614/@comment-1791057-20130322223034


 * 1) 2 We know this based on phylogeny, based on what animals it's related to. Basal deinonychosaurs such as Microraptor are often very well preserved and show wing structures on all four of their limbs (see image #3 below). Dromaeosaurs like Deinonychus, Achillobator, and Velociraptors legs evolved to more of a ground based lifestyle while Troodontids went on experimenting with various body designs that included flight. Because the dromaeosaurs were more ground based, it is safe to assume that their back limb feathering would have diminished (the extent of which is something that is currently hotly debated among paleontologists). We then have quill knobs from the ulna of Velociraptor, so we know that Velociraptor and it's other close relatives that make of the dremaeosauria would have had a wing like structure on their arms.


 * 1) 3 It was cartoonized so I gave it some leeway. I don't get upset with The Simpsons for having bad human anatomy. I'm simply not like that. But if something is intentionally meant to be accurate, then yes, I am going to point out it's inaccuracies.