Re: Dino/bird amphibians & Carcharocles [Carcharodon] megalodon

[Tim Williams <twilliams_alpha@hotmail.com>]

David Marjanovic wrote:

> > I've heard about these flight-capable hesperornithiforms before.
>
> *Pasquiaornis* from Canada, and by inference *Potamornis*...

_Pasquaiornis_ is certainly a primitive hesperornithiform.  But it's my 
impression that this diving bird was probably flightless.

Tokaryk, T.T., Cumbaa, S.L., and Storer, J.E. (1997).  Early Late Cretaceous 
birds from Saskatchewan, Canada: the oldest diverse avifauna known from 
North America.  Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 17: 172-176.

As for little _Potamornis_... it's known only from a single quadrate bone, 
which happens to be non-pneumatic.  I don't think we have enough info to 
determine if _Potamornis_ was volant or not.

Cheers

Tim