Re: Turtles and Diverity was Re: Classification of Plesiosaurs and Ichthyosaurs?

[Ronald Orenstein <ornstn@home.com>]

At 08:47 AM 18/05/01 -0400, ELurio@aol.com wrote:
> WHY?!?!?!?!?!  Shouldn't a greater diversity of life living today be far
> cooler than greater extinction of forms? Assuming that turtles are anapsids,
> isn't that better for the study of life than having them being just a tiny,
> insignificant offshoot of the  Archosauromorpha like many here are trying to
> make birds?

That's "assuming".  Some recent studies (which are far from universally 
accepted) suggest that the anapsid condition in turtles is secondarily 
derived and their closest relatives may be within Diapsida - I suggest that 
is what is being referred to here, not a suggestion that all anapsids (eg 
pareiasaurs) be moved into Archosauromorpha.


--
Ronald I. Orenstein                           Phone: (905) 820-7886
International Wildlife Coalition              Fax/Modem: (905) 569-0116
1825 Shady Creek Court
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada L5L 3W2          mailto:ornstn@home.com