RE: Questions about WWPB

["Williams, Tim" <TiJaWi@agron.iastate.edu>]

>Because modern whales are much smoother operators...  Okay, modern
>whales demonstate that claspers are not necessary, but it is true that
>Basilosaurus still had small hindlimbs with apparently functional
>joints.  I don't know of any reason why they might not be used for this
>purpose, and various other marine vertebrates have various pelvic
>claspers.  

Interestingly, modern chondrichthyans (sharks + rays [elasmobranchs],
chimeras [Holoephali]) have pelvic claspers, and so did placoderms; but
basal elasmobranchs (like _Cladoselache_) did not.  On the other hand, male
cladoselachids use to pay for dinner and a movie.


 

Tim