On Jul 19, 2009, at 12:52 PM, David Marjanovic wrote:
This is assuming the traditional "crown group Diapsida" ismonophyletic, which has never been tested. And so we really do have to test the entire Amniota. Until that's done, we're looking for our keyswithout the nightlight.Fine. So what was your point in putting a lizard into the matrix of Nesbitt et al. but keeping *Euparkeria* as the outgroup??? Or rather, what was your point in telling us about this act of randomness?
Not an act of randomness, David. An act of illumination. If Nesbitt et al. and Irmis et al. want to put some squamates into the Ornithodira, I thought I'd add another one. And if they want to put a proterchampsid (Lagerpeton and Dromomeron) into the Ornithodira, I thought I'd add another one or two of those, Chanaresuchus and Tropidosuchus.
Yes, I am being ridiculous. But so are they when they try to fit round pegs into square holes. Just proving a point. Anyone can do it.
BTW throwing the pre-amniote Gephyrostegus into the matrix as the outgroup taxon pulls the squamates (Including pterosaurs) out as outgroups - even with the heavy weighting on hind limb characters.
David Peters