Re: questions about the Odontochelys study

[David Peters <davidpeters@att.net>]

I repeat: > Which species on the non-turtle side of the equation?

+++++++++++++++

Still wondering: which _species_? (¡primo importante!)

If placodonts (cyamodonts) then the teeth are wrong, etc. etc. If  
nothosaurs and plesiosaurs, well... um... I'm still looking for some  
synapomorphies.

Wouldn't something slow and lumbering fit better?

David Peters
davidpeters@att.net




Jason wrote:

Placodonts if I remember correctly. Interestingly, if one removes
sauropterygians from the mix, turtles fall back into the anapsid  
camp, thus
calling into question whether or not turtle relations with  
sauropterygians are
a result of homology, or just convergence.

The phylogenetic link between turtles and sauropterygians
> is certainly weak (statistically speaking), though it is
> better than any alternate position - which is not saying
> much.  :-)

Admittedly, the discovery of _Odontochelys_ has me leaning a bit more  
towards
Sauropterygia now, but I'd still argue that the procolophonid  
hypothesis is at
least as strong.