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Re: SIMILAR BIRD TRACKS 70 MILLION YEARS APART
In response to Ray's query about the phylogenetic similarities of the Green
River and his own
Maryland discoveries (publication, Ray, publication! You have so many things to
publish! haha -- I
wonder, do they write "jaja" in Germany?) I would like to underscore the term
"parataxonomy" when
dealing with footprints. They are not intended to reflect actual bone fossil
peservation and the
evolution thereupon; instead, they reflect phenotypic diversity, whether or not
it is phylogenetic
as well. As the same type of foot, divergence, etc., is found in two different
sites, I would
first look at the relative sizes and the habitats. As the Green River is
predominently sandstone,
this would be a beach shore or sandy fluviatile environment, whereas the
mudstones and claystones
of the Mayrland basins would suggest something muckier, a lacustrine or similar
structure of
water. As clay forms from accumulated flat-land erosion, this would suggest the
type of land and
habitat were a bit different. However, what kinds of birds are found in both
types of habitat? I
consider and suggest that this phenotypism reflects the morphology of the foot,
but in birds, this
can be easily convergent and does not suggest phylogenetic similarity.
This reply is in no way intended to be levelled at Ray. I have nothing
against the man -- darn
tootin'! This is justa list reply to a thread.
=====
Jaime A. Headden
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhr-gen-ti-na
Where the Wind Comes Sweeping Down the Pampas!!!!
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