Re: Classification of Plesiosaurs and Ichthyosaurs?

["Ken Kinman" <kinman@hotmail.com>]

Dave,
    Tell them that what they are defining are closer to "Archosauromorphs" 
(not "Archosaurs", which are a less inclusive group).  Ichthyosaurs may well 
end up in Archosauromorpha, and the turtles could end up there as well 
(that's the one I'm hoping for).  You can tell them that, in any case, croc 
ancestors are closer to dinosaurs than ichthyosaurs are, and that pterosaurs 
have been recently moved deeper in the Archosauromorph tree, further away 
from the dinosaurs.  Pterosaurs are still Archosauromorphs, but no longer 
regarded as either Archosauriforms or the even more exclusive Archosaurs.
    However, if biologists are still confused as to which groups to include 
in Archosauromorpha, you can bet the editors to whom you are writing will be 
even more confused.  You may be opening a big can of worms, so you might 
want to think twice before writing them.
                  -------Ken
*******************************************************
> From: Dave Hardenbrook <DaveH47@mindspring.com>
> Reply-To: DaveH47@mindspring.com
> To: dinosaur@usc.edu
> Subject: Classification of Plesiosaurs and Ichthyosaurs?
> Date: Thu, 17 May 2001 15:54:36 -0700
>
> I use WordWeb for my primary online Thesaurus/Dictionary, but I've
> discovered that it gives this definition for "Archosaur": "Extinct reptiles
> including: dinosaurs; plesiosaurs; pterosaurs; ichthyosaurs; thecodonts"
>
> Umm... plesiosaurs and ichthyosaurs??  Have I missed something?
> *Are* they considered archosaurs now?  Is the Euryapsida no more?
> Or should I write an irate letter to WordWeb's researchers?  (I plan
> to write an irate letter to them anyway, to protest the exclusion of 
> birds!)
>
>
>
>                         -- Dave

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