RE: PalAss Meeting

[Tim Williams <twilliams_alpha@hotmail.com>]

David Marjanovic wrote:

>> Phytosaurs are basal, Aetosaurs are the sister-group of Crocodilians and
>> the Rausuchia are paraphyletic. Most stay on their own branch but some,
>> including Poposaurus group with Ornithosuchia.
>
> By this, you mean Ornithosuchidae and not Avemetatarsalia, right?

I really hope that Ornithosuchia is permanently defined such that it includes 
_Ornithosuchus_.

>> The conclusion was that the tusks were probably not used for intra-species
>> fighting or display, nor for defence, but that heterodontosaurs were
>> omnivores living in semi-arid habitat and used the teeth to kill
>> smallish prey.
>
> Wow.

I'll second that.  Also, if the tusks were already present in juveniles, and 
not sexually dimorphic, what does that mean for the tusk-less holotype of 
_Abrictosaurus_?  Was _Abrictosaurus_ exclusively herbivorous?  

A larger, tusked heterodontosaur specimen has also been referred to 
_Abrictosaurus_ - so would this represent a new taxon?

Pachycephalosaurs also had caniniform teeth.  Did they hunt small prey as well?

You see, ornithischians are *really* interesting.  Theropods have no right to 
hog the limelight.  Nor sauropods (sorry Mike!)

Cheers

Tim

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