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RE: Tyrannosaurus synapsid properties....

> From: owner-dinosaur@usc.edu [mailto:owner-dinosaur@usc.edu]On Behalf Of
> chris brochu
>
> >   How is the fact that Tyrannosaurus Rex is synapsid in its
> post orbital area
> >of its skull signifigant? Or, am I wrong in assuming that it is synapsid?
>
> It's as diapsid as any other theropod, but the supratemporal fenestrae are
> not very visible in lateral view - you more or less have to be looking
> straight down on the skull to see them.

With the forward-facing squamosal-quadratojugal flange almost reaching the
anterior margin of the lateral temporal fenestra in some specimens,
tyrannosaurids are almost "triapsid"!

                Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
                Vertebrate Paleontologist
Department of Geology           Director, Earth, Life & Time Program
University of Maryland          College Park Scholars
                College Park, MD  20742
http://www.geol.umd.edu/~tholtz/tholtz.htm
http://www.geol.umd.edu/~jmerck/eltsite
Phone:  301-405-4084    Email:  tholtz@geol.umd.edu
Fax (Geol):  301-314-9661       Fax (CPS-ELT): 301-405-0796