Absence of premaxillary teeth?

["Nick Gardner" <ratites637@hotmail.com>]

Hello list!

I have a very important question.  I'm working on this multistate character 
for number of premaxillary teeth, and I am curious if the absence of teeth 
should be included as a state in this character (ex1) or if it should be its 
own character (ex2)-

example 1- premaxillary tooth count: 4 (0); 6(1); 5 (2); 3 (3); 7 or more 
(4); 0, premaxillary teeth absent, buccal margin presumedly covered entirely 
with horny rhampotheca (5). UNORDERED

example 2- premaxillary teeth: present (0); absent, buccal margin presumedly 
covered entirely with horny rhampotheca (1).


Thanks in advance,

Nick Gardner
Paleoartist
AIM CloudRaptor05

"Well officer, as I was pulling out into the street, my car was maliciously 
struck by a cat that was intentionally blocking my way in order to prove 
that it was a greater, more superior being.  Guess I showed him..."

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