Re: A few questions...

[Raptor RKC <RaptorRKC@aol.com>]

Josh:

I believe that the more camarasaur-like titanosaur skulls are the correct one,
though I could be wrong.  Beats me if titanosaurs are even a natural group, or
just a dumping ground for all sauropods without an apparent placement.  Any
sauropodophiliacs here?

_Lagosuchus_ didn't BECOME _Marasuchus_.  The type material from _Lagosuchus_
(what was that species?...)  is still in _Lagosuchus_.  More complete material
(originally referred to new species _L. lilloensis, right?) was referred to
_Lagosuchus_ a while back.  Somebody figured that the original _Lagosuchus_
material was too fragmentary to warrant the assignment of a more complete
specimen to that genus, so they just created a new genus for the new
"Lagosuchus" material.  Now that critter that most of us think of when
_Lagosuchus_ is mentioned is called _Marasuchus lilloensis_.

Hope that helps.

--RKC  

 Also, what happened to the name Lagosuchus?  Why did it become 
 Marasuchus?
 
 My final question isn't very dinosaur related, but what kind of skin 
 might pelycosaurs have had?  I have heard that parsimony might dictate a 
 smooth glandular skin, but I'm having trouble imagining exactly what 
 kind of skin is being talked about here.  Is there a living animal that 
 would have skin like this?
  >>