RE: Serration variation

[Toby White <mwhite@houston.rr.com>]

On Thursday, February 10, 2000 12:28 AM, Dinogeorge@aol.com 
[SMTP:Dinogeorge@aol.com] wrote:
> In a message dated 2/10/00 0:52:40 AM EST, NJPharris@aol.com writes:

> Don't think serrated teeth are the primitive
> condition in Archosauria.

Why?  Serrated teeth are a common pattern in both Crurotarsi and dinos, as 
well as aetosaurs (to the extent a foliate tooth is an extension of the 
same principle, which it likely isn't).  Serrated teeth do not appear below 
the basal archosaurs, so far as I know. Their appearance seems to be 
coordinated with loss of palatal teeth, which makes some intuitive 
biomechanical sense.  What's the problem?

  --Toby White

Vertebrate Notes at
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