Re: dino skin

[Dinogeorge@aol.com]

In a message dated 96-01-14 21:15:13 EST, zooamy@zoo.latrobe.edu.au (Adam
Yates) writes:

>Even if the legs, hips and tail bore feathers, they would not have 
>necessarily been preserved in this specimen. Internal soft tissues are 
>sometimes preserved in the Santana Formation by phosphate replacement. A 
>seir of experiments by Dr. Briggs of Bristol University has shown that 
>phosphatisation of soft tissue requires an highly acidic environment (as 
>well as a supply of phosphate ions), such as occurs inside a decaying 
>carcass. It is unlikely that the conditions were suitable outside the 
>carcass, where the feathers would have been (if they were present at 
>all). I note also that the pterosaur soft tissue from the Santana shows 
>none of the hair-like structures that are present in other well 
>preserved pterosaurs.

Right. As they say, absence of evidence is not necessarily evidence of
absence.