BARYONYX' CLAWS

[darren.naish@port.ac.uk]

Jaime Headden wrote..

> Question: Has it finally been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that 
> Baronyx's claw was on the hand.

If you are referring to the large (31 cm along its outside curve) 
ungual for which _Baryonyx_ is named.. Yes it HAS.. but this proof 
awaits publication (previous arguments for location of this ungual on 
the pollex have been based on logic and inference). The situation 
with the _Baryonyx_ hand will turn out to be more intriguing that you 
have previously thought, I promise!

On another note, as has been noted by others on this list (1) ursids 
are poor analogues for a piscivorous _Baryonyx_. For one reason, 
bears actually do most of their fish catching by plunging their heads 
under the water - they do not 'gaff' fish as has been proposed for 
_Baryonyx_. (2) Fish-eating crocs are not like _Baryonyx_ in that the 
latter has a dorsoventrally deep (altirostral/oreinirostral if you 
are a croc worker) snout, markedly 'pseudoheterodont' dentition, and 
caniniforms. Hmm.. this is more like the condition seen in 
generalised crocs.

It is not clear that _all_ avian flightlessness evolved via 
paedomorphosis. 

"Don't EVER talk to me about Paris again!"

DARREN NAISH
darren.naish@port.ac.uk