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re: Longisquama "feather" shedding issue



Jaime Headden wrote:

The "frills" of tuataras and iguanians are comprised of osteocones or
hardened, scleral tissues surrounded by keratin, and do not shed with the skin
to the bets of my knowledge. I've witnessed a few skins shed, and they do tend
to split down the back, and most lizards either flake the skin off, or pull off
large chunks of shedding dermis at once.

I asked Rick Shine, Australian herpetologist:

>> I wondered if the dorsal frills of any lizards and/or tuatara are shed?

to which he replied:

>> Yep, I think the entire epidermis goes . .certainly this is the case in 
>> frillneck lizards.

Hope this helps. Still worth looking into.

Happy Thanksgiving all. 

David Peters
St. Louis