Re: Mammalian teeth (was CRETACEOUS VARANIDS)

["Matthew Troutman" <m_troutman@hotmail.com>]

>From: Dann Pigdon <dannj@alphalink.com.au>

>Mammal teeth also seem to be better able to "improvise" than those
>of most dinosauria. Thylacaleo is a good example. It was actually
>decended from herbivores and so lacked canines or carnassials. The
>solution? Turn the two prominant front incisors in both the upper
>and lower jaw into sharp canine-like teeth, and to fuse most (all?)
>of the cheek teeth into one continuous blade. The resulting skull
>looks typically carnivorous at first glance, until you notice that
>the "canines" are completely in the wrong place. I don't know
>of any dinosaur species that managed such a feat of dental
>improvisation.
>-- 
>____________________________________________________
>       Dann Pigdon
>       Melbourne, Australia
>
>       Dinosaur Reconstructions:
>       http://www.geocities.com/capecanaveral/4459/
>       Australian Dinosaurs:
>       http://www.alphalink.com.au/~dannj
>____________________________________________________
>
>
 I'm not sure whether Thylacaleo fused all of its  premolar and 
molariform teeth. Thylacaleo is a derived phalangeroid marsupial ( 
example: sugar glider) and they reduced the tooth count. But if this is 
true I would like to see a ref on it.
 
 Thanks in advance,

WMattTroutman

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