Re: Amniota ( was re: synapsids are reptiles )

["Steve Brusatte" <dinoland@lycos.com>]

On Mon, 15 Apr 2002 14:07:33  
 T. Michael Keesey wrote:

>Currently I think the general consensus is that they (diadectomorphs) are 
>close to amniotes, but not within _Amniota_.

Certainly that is the general consensus now, and, dare I say it, probably a 
safe bet based on our current understanding of the group.  The paper I 
mentioned a few weeks ago on the key acquisition of costal ventilation as a 
major impetus in tetrapod evolution reconstructs _Diadectes_ and kin as stem 
amniotes, with features closely resembling many true amniotes.  However, most 
cladistic analyses that I know of still find diadectomorphs very close to 
amniotes, but just outside of them.  As always, hopefully new fossils will help 
us clarify this quandry.

Steve

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