Re: Differentiation of Sloths [was Re: T-Tip]

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

To the list,

  A certain phrase in my post was just pointed out to
me, and I realize that I may have been a little vague,
so I will attempt to clarify the following statement
further so that there is not confusion:

<<As in the development of unidactyly in horses,
reduction and vestigialization of digits follows lack
of use of those respective digits.>>

  It has been suggested that in the development of
horses that increased cursoriality strengthened the
axial digit of each foot (III in both manus and pes)
so that the longer third toe excluded use of all other
digits, and that this is the reason for their
vestigialization; such a similar function appears to
have occured in the evolution of *Bradypus* and
*Choloepus* in the reduction of their manal and pedal
digits from a primitive four [anteaters, armadillos,
and some fossil sloths, which have similar manal
structure] or three [other fossil sloths, for
instance, nothrotheres] to three or two. Therefore...
reduction and vestigialization of digits would appear
to have followed the lack of use of those respective
digits.

   There, that's what was essentially behind the
statement.


=====
Jaime "James" A. Headden

"Come the path that leads us to our fortune."

Qilong---is temporarily out of service.
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