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Purussaurus, Deinosuchus (was RE: Sarcosuchus)

> From: owner-dinosaur@usc.edu [mailto:owner-dinosaur@usc.edu]On Behalf Of
> Ken Kinman
>
>
> P.S.  However, if you are a reporter, don't call it
[Phobosuchus/Deinosuchus] an
> "alligator", or the
> strict cladists are liable to think you don't know the difference
> between a
> spider and an insect.   :-)
>

True.  However, if Brochu's analyses are correct, you can call the gigantic
Miocene _Purussaurus_ is an honest-to-goodness (although derived) caiman,
nested within the crown-group caimans.

                Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
                Vertebrate Paleontologist
Department of Geology           Director, Earth, Life & Time Program
University of Maryland          College Park Scholars
                College Park, MD  20742
http://www.geol.umd.edu/~tholtz/tholtz.htm
http://www.geol.umd.edu/~jmerck/eltsite
Phone:  301-405-4084    Email:  tholtz@geol.umd.edu
Fax (Geol):  301-314-9661       Fax (CPS-ELT): 301-405-0796