Re: solnhofen

["Tim Williams" <twilliams_alpha@hotmail.com>]

David Marjanovic wrote:

> Archie may have found most of its food at sea. Its teeth look rather like
> fish eaters' teeth (unserrated) ...

_Archaeopteryx_ does not exhibit the procumbent front teeth evident in other 
groups that are thought to have been fish-eaters, such as rhamphorhynchids 
and spinosaurs.  (Plesiosaurs and placodonts are also described as having 
procumbent teeth, but differ in the shape and arrangement of their teeth 
from rhamphorhynchids:
http://www.cmnh.org/fun/dinosaur-archive/1996Nov/0296.html)

The troodontid _Byronosaurus_ also has rather conical and unserrated teeth.  
Also, the Eichstatt specimen of _Archaeopteryx_ (=_Jurapteryx recurva_) has 
teeth that are more recurved than those of the other specimens (hence the 
species name).  Very unsuitable for grabbing slippery fish.

> ...), and apparently there wasn't much to eat on land,

Really?  Somebody ought to tell _Compsognathus_ that.

You've already mentioned little reptiles such as _Bavarisaurus_ and 
_Homeosaurus_.  And insects too (which can't have spent their entire 
lifespan on the wing.)  Apparently _Compsognathus_ found enough to eat.

> but plenty of fish in all sizes in the lagoons.

_Archaeopteryx_ would have to compete with pterosaurs such as 
_Rhamphorhynchus_ which had jaws specialized for catching fish and were 
quite possibly superior fliers.  Perhaps _Archaeopteryx_ did include fish in 
its diet; but it certainly wasn't specialized for piscivory.

Could it be David that you have some particular motive for trying to tie 
_Archaeopteryx_ to the water...?  ;-)


Tim


------------------------------------------------------------

Timothy J. Williams

USDA/ARS Researcher
Agronomy Hall
Iowa State University
Ames IA 50014

Phone: 515 294 9233
Fax:   515 294 3163

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