Re: molting

["Norton, Patrick" <Patrick.Norton@state.me.us>]

On June 3rd, Dave (aka Collette Adams) wrote:

>Crocodilians molt in very small pieces, generally each scute is   
separate.<

True molting (as in snakes and birds) is, I believe, hormonally   
controlled and is therefore qualitatively different from the everyday   
process of shedding dead skins cells. From what little I know about this,   
the jury seems to still be out as to whether or not hormonally controlled   
molting occurs in crocodilians. Although dinosaurs must have shed dead   
skin cells, it seems premature to infer true molting in dinosaurs (as   
others on this list have done)--at least until more is known about the   
physiological basis of molting in living archosaurs.

>I suspect that dinosaurs shed in small pieces, particularly the larger   
ones.<

My croc expert friends tell me this is precisely what is seen in   
crocodiles. The bigger they get, the more noticeable is the shedding of   
dead skin. I suspect this has something to do with the larger surface   
area.