Re: fused/unfused scap/coracoid

[Christopher Collinson <Chris_Collinson@monarch.net>]

Well there is probably a very simple answer to this but you're not going to
like it. The simple answer is of course that you are assuming some of your
daughter taxa are adult based on the disputable presence of embryos and
neonates rather than on the osteological evidence. The specimens which show
incomplete fusion of the scapula and coracoid are most probably not adults
based on the osteological evidence and this would be a good time to
re-evaluate the presence of the embryos in these specimens, which to my
knowledge no one else has been able to independently confirm.

Cheers,
Christopher

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "david peters" <davidrpeters@earthlink.net>
To: <dinosaur@usc.edu>
Sent: Friday, July 30, 2004 3:03 PM
Subject: fused/unfused scap/coracoid


> I notice in some primitive diapsids (Protorsaurus and kin) that the
scapula and coracoid are fused. This pair becomes unfused then fused again a
few times in daughter taxa. Any thoughts on why this does or doesn't happen,
especially in these early diapsid sprawlers?
>
> David Peters
> St. Louis
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