Re: Australian mammal remains

["Thomas R. Holtz, Jr." <th81@umail.umd.edu>]

At 08:42 PM 11/22/97 -0600, Toby White wrote:

>Stupid (but probably very common) question.  What is it about half a lower
>jaw that tells you its a placental mammal?  

The tooth patterns, mostly.

Mammal teeth can be VERY diagnostic...

Tom ("Boy am I glad theropods have relatively simple teeth") Holtz

Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
Vertebrate Paleontologist     Webpage: http://www.geol.umd.edu
Dept. of Geology              Email:th81@umail.umd.edu
University of Maryland        Phone:301-405-4084
College Park, MD  20742       Fax:  301-314-9661