Re: Bonitasaura, new sauropod with beak-like jaws

[MariusRomanus@aol.com]

>>  Its unusual, rectangular lower jaw possesses narrow, anteriorly restricted 
>> teeth and shows evidence of a sharp keratinous sheath over the 
>> non-dentigerous region that probably worked to guillotine plant material.  <<

I'm going to be totally honest and tell you that there have been times when 
I've been staring at diplodocid skulls and have had the heretical thought of 
the possible existence of a "beaked" lip in one form or another. The most 
recent occurrence of such a thought was this past July when I took an up close 
and personal look at the skull of Samson after having the great fortune of 
being allowed to enter Carnegie's "Paleo-Lab". After literally being nose to 
nose with Samson, I walked on out into the Dinosaur Hall, took a gander at the 
real diplodocus skull sitting in a case against the wall, and thought of 
blasphemy.

With the possibility of this titanosaur having good evidence pointing toward 
the presence of a beak of some sort, all I can say is that my thoughts about 
the occurrence of such structures, as outlined in past DML posts... well... 
Let's just say this just keeps getting better and better.

Iâll have the photographs of my examination of Samsonâs skull, including 
8x10s, at SVP for those of you interested.

Kris
http://hometown.aol.com/Saurierlagen/Paleo-Photography.html