Tawa hallae filaments

[Vili Koskinen]

Hello all!

I am working on a full-size life reconstruction of Tawa hallae and would like to explore the possibility of filamentous integuments (protofeathers or hair-like filaments).

I would be very interested in thoughts on:

• likely body distribution of any filaments (full body, dorsal only, juveniles only, etc.)

• plausible filament thickness and length

• potential coloration based on melanosome biology, habitat (Late Triassic arid environments), and ecological role

• how conservative vs speculative such a reconstruction should be

Any insights from phylogenetic bracketing, comparative anatomy, or pigment biochemistry would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!

-V.K