re: Antorbital fenestra

[Kent Caldwell <kent_caldwell@allo-source.com>]

oops - actually, that was my answer. Whenever I think
of anorbital fenestra, I automatically think of the
big, modified ones possessed by theropods; I did not
even consider its function in other archosaurs. 

Kent Caldwell

--- David Peters <davidrpeters@earthlink.net> wrote:

> apologies if this has already been answered. I'm an
> archive reader.
> 
> The answer goes back to before there were theropods,
> because the
> theropods inherited this character from croc-like
> proterosuchids and
> their intermediaries.
> 
> Still Grant's answer may apply.
> 
> dp
> stl
> 
> 
> For some time now there has been wide consensus that
> the anorbital fenestra lightened the skull of
> theropods without sacrificing strength and also
> increased the area for muscle attachment & may have
> added to those muscles' efficiency by giving them
> more
> room to flex.
> 
> --- Amtoine Grant <ajgrant@eastlink.ca> wrote:
> 
>