HYBRIDS & DINO-PRESS 5

[darren.naish@port.ac.uk]

On hybids and the BSC, Tom wrote...

> In fact, trying to test the degree of back-fertility of ligers and
> tigons, although scientifically interesting, should probably not be
> done because it runs counter to another important issue: conservation.

And, some might say, ethics: 'golden tabby tigers' are beautiful bengal 
x siberian tiger hybrids. Like manx cats, they are prone to deformities 
of the lumbar vertebrae and pelvis and often have a peculiar gait. Zoos 
nowadays try to keep their 'subspecies' pure but this was certainly not 
the case in the recent past.

Curiously enough, this message came in just when I was putting the 
finishing touches to a news article about the remarkable 
_Lissodelphis_-_Lagenorhynchus_ hybrid recently photographed in the 
SW Atlantic.

> Actually, I thought the hybrid elephant died prenatally.  If so, it
> doesn't really count.

It died on its first day.

_DINO PRESS 5_

Recently received my copy of _Dino Press_ 5. Congrats as always to 
Masaaki Inoue and the team, it's excellent and a fun read. Funny 
coincidence that Ralph Molnar should discuss _Dandakosaurus (albeit 
briefly) not long after it was mentioned here on DML (though why no 
mention of the idea that it's an abelisaur, or that _Sigilmassasaurus_ is 
a synonym of _Carcharodontosaurus_?).

George's BCF article: I liked Tracy's little drawings (except the 
arrows), but I think the pics in Fig. 3 and 4 are the wrong way round. 
Surely Fig. 3 should be the one that shows 'dino-birds' evolving 
separately from ground-bound archosaurs, and Fig. 4 should be the one 
that shows multiple terrestrial lineages evolving from the dino-birds.

And nice to see _Eotyrannus_ make the cover...

DARREN NAISH 
PALAEOBIOLOGY RESEARCH GROUP
School of Earth & Environmental Sciences
UNIVERSITY OF PORTSMOUTH
Burnaby Building
Burnaby Road                           email: darren.naish@port.ac.uk
Portsmouth UK                          tel (mobile): 0776 1372651     
P01 3QL                                tel (office): 023 92842244
                                       www.palaeobiology.co.uk