Re: Serration variation

[Dinogeorge@aol.com]

In a message dated 2/10/00 12:21:12 PM EST, mwhite@houston.rr.com writes:

<< 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? >>

Basal archosaurs were small reptiles with teeth too small to develop 
serrations; their teeth themselves are the size of serrations on teeth of 
large theropods. Appearance of tooth serrations in various archosaur groups 
is more likely size-related and independent (convergent), not due to common 
ancestry.