Re: Dinosaurian Class (was: DROMAEOSAURS AND OVIRAPTOROSAURS)

["Jaime A. Headden" <qilongia@yahoo.com>]

Rachel Clark wrote:

<< <snip>
In addition, dinosaurs ARE reptiles. Reptilia was redefined recently
(it's no longer a paraphyletic clade) as one of the main offshoots of
Amniota (the
other being ?Synapsida?). So, birds, strange as it may seem, are
reptiles, too.>>

  It's: Amniota including Diapsida (crocs, dinos, birds, lizards) and
Synapsida (pelycosaurs, us) with the outgroup as Anapsida (your
favorite box turtle, for instance).

+--+--Anapsida
   +--+--AMNIOTA
      +--+--Diapsida
         +--Synapsida

<<Dinosaurs don't belong in their own "Class." They're just another
clade on the great tree of life.>>

Bryan R. Stahl wrote:

<Does this mean we're all bacteria?<g> >

  Bacteria exist on a different branch of the tree of life than do any
other form of life, extant or extinct. The Tree of Life page has this,
and so does Mike Keesey's Page.

  Pretty much, we are derived from the most recent common ancestor of
bacteria and all other life, with bacteria as the outgroup. This is to
say, we are derived from a bacteria-like creature that is not,
essentially, bacteria. Same for dinos, birds, etc.

  Jaime A. Headden  
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