Re: Are dinosaurs really reptiles? (2)

[Dann Pigdon <dannj@alphalink.com.au>]

K and T Dykes writes: 

> All living reptiles (including birds), have armoured scales on their skin 
> composed of both keratin alpha and keratin beta.  If I'm wrong about that, 
> I'll doubtlessly be corrected.  I don't have those scales.  And nor do or 
> did any synapsid, as far as I'm aware.  In this regard, my skin is 
> amphibian-like, and distinct from reptiles.  While some living synapsids, 
> eg mice, indeed have scales on their tails, those don't contain keratin 
> beta. They're soft.  I know of no evidence whatsoever that we synapsids 
> ever had reptilian scales.

So pangolin scales were completely re-evolved? 

http://www2.sims.berkeley.edu/courses/is213/s04/projects/Manis/images/pangol 
in.jpg 

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Dann Pigdon
GIS / Archaeologist              http://geo_cities.com/dannsdinosaurs
Melbourne, Australia             http://heretichides.soffiles.com
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