Re: SPINOSAUR TEETH

["Mickey_Mortimer11" <Mickey_Mortimer11@email.msn.com>]

Darren Naish wrote-

> Some _Baryonyx_ teeth do lack serrations. They can still be identified
> as _Baryonyx_ (or at least cf. _Baryonyx_) because of their enamel
> microtexture, cross-sectional shape, presence of faceting etc.

Damn all this variation :-) .  A few questions-
Suchomimus seems to have very similar microtexture, does anyone know if
Spinosaurus or Irritator do?  If it's unknown, such microtexture could
perhaps just be a spinosaurid character.  By "faceting", do you mean
fluting.  If so, I suppose the baryonychine identity would be pretty secure.
Where do these teeth come from?  If they're Wealden the case for them being
Baryonyx is made much better.  Then we have to ask if the variation was
caused to wear, position in the jaw, etc..  Why can't things ever be simple
in paleontology?  Sigh.

Mickey Mortimer