Re: K Vultures? (Was Re: Regarding Spinosaurus)

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

David Marjanovic wrote-

> Just for the record, wasn't there a toothless jaw fragment, too, the basis
> for the common statement that "derived enantiornitheans" rather than
> *Gobipteryx* alone were toothless? (Certainly not enough to decide what it
> ate.)

The Lecho Formation preserves many enantiornithine bones, most
disarticulated.  The proximal scapula, coracoid and humerus of Enantiornis
(PVL-4035) were found articulated.  Chiappe (1996) refers five more
specimens to the species- (PVL-4020) several pectoral and forelimb elements;
(PVL-4023) ulna; (PVL-4039) scapula; (PVL-4055) scapula; (PVL-4181) ulna.
There are apparently at least five taxa represented- one small (unnamed),
three medium (Lectavis, Yungavolucris, Soroavisaurus), and one large
(Enantiornis).  The only cranial element is the posterior portion of a
mandible, which is undescribed.  Whether this has teeth, or is even complete
enough to indicate if it does, is unknown.

Mickey Mortimer