Fossil amphibian with potty mouth

[Tim Williams <tijawi@yahoo.com>]

Not a dinosaur, but a contemporary.  And very cool in its own right.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081212/sc_nm/us_amphibian_jaws


"The creature called Gerrothorax pulcherrimus, which lived alongside some of 
the early dinosaurs, opened its mouth not by dropping its lower jaw, as other 
vertebrate animals do.


"Instead, it lifted back the top of its head in a way that looked a lot like 
lifting the lid of a toilet seat."

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So was the mouth preserved open or closed?  This might tell us if the specimen 
was male or female.




(Sorry for the toilet humor.)


Cheers

Tim