Re: feathers, hair and Compsognathus

[Stan Friesen <swf@ElSegundoCA.NCR.COM>]

From: Jeffrey Martz <martz@holly.ColoState.EDU>

 >      Not being up on my basal reptile phylogeny, could someone explain
 > to me exactly why reptiles are now considered to be a paraphyletic
 > group?  I assume this means that thier earliest common ancestor was NOT
 > something that shared the traits that has caused scientists to group
 > "reptiles" together.

Nope.  That would make them *poly*phyletic.

They are paraphyletic because the common ancestor off all things
considered reptiles is also an ancestor of things NOT considered
reptiles, namely birds and mammals.   That is, reptiles, as a group,
do not include ALL descendents of their common ancstor.


swf@elsegundoca.ncr.com         sarima@ix.netcom.com

The peace of God be with you.