RE: Speaking of the latest Cretaceous...

["Thomas R. Holtz, Jr." <tholtz@umd.edu>]

> From: owner-DINOSAUR@usc.edu [mailto:owner-DINOSAUR@usc.edu] 
> On Behalf Of Brandon Pilcher
> 
> 
> Does anyone know of the status of the Western Interior Sea 
> during this time period? I remember encountering more than 
> once source (for example, http://www.scn.org/~bh162/maas2.gif 
> ) suggesting it had receded to the point where it no longer 
> split North America in two. 

Three, actually (west, northcentral Canada, eastern & southeastern North
America).  And yes, the Maastrichtian Regression and local tectonics removed
most of the barriers by the end of the Maa.

> If this is the case, would it be 
> theoretically possible for western North American dinosaurs 
> to mingle with dinosaurs from the eastern side of the continent?

Yes, but no evidence of that yes.

Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
Email: tholtz@umd.edu   Phone: 301-405-4084
Office: Centreville 1216                        
Senior Lecturer, Vertebrate Paleontology
Dept. of Geology, University of Maryland
http://www.geol.umd.edu/~tholtz/
Fax: 301-314-9661               

Faculty Director, Earth, Life & Time Program, College Park Scholars
http://www.geol.umd.edu/~jmerck/eltsite/
Fax: 301-405-0796

Mailing Address:        Thomas R. Holtz, Jr.
                        Department of Geology
                        Building 237, Room 1117
                        University of Maryland
                        College Park, MD 20742 USA