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| Anapsid, Synapsid, Diapsid?; just a quick question | |
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| Topic Started: Mar 8 2012, 11:00 PM (340 Views) | |
| Bimasena009 | Mar 8 2012, 11:00 PM Post #1 |
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Zygote
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Well, reptiles are classified by how many opening they had behind their eye socket, right? Say, if a reptile don't have holes beside their eyes and nostril, they are anapsid. One hole (on each side), then its a Synapsid (or Euryapsid). The Diapsid is even more confusing because modern examples has lost one or both holes (lizards and snake, respectively). The question is: aside from lightening the skull, what does the holes do? And why is it so important about it that they abandoned the Anapsid skull structure? While we're on the topic, how do you differentiate between reptiles and parareptiles? |
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| JohnFaa | Mar 19 2012, 05:37 PM Post #2 |
Adveho in mihi Lucifer
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This idea is sorta of no longer considered valid; many "anapsids" might actually be diapsids that secondarily lost their frenestrae, for instance.
Edited by JohnFaa, Mar 19 2012, 05:38 PM.
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| Spugpow | Mar 19 2012, 06:00 PM Post #3 |
Adult
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From here: http://rainbow.ldeo.columbia.edu/courses/v1001/8.html "Fenestrae are thought to serve several possible purposes. Most often they are to increase the area and improve the alignment or the attachment of major muscles. They also serve to allow an area that expands outward for muscles that would otherwise be in a confined space. They lighten the skull without compromising strength. They occasionally have a gland in them, although this is unusual." |
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| Tartarus | Mar 19 2012, 06:50 PM Post #4 |
Adult
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If so, I suppose I may need to a rethink some of my views on amniote taxonomy. |
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4:59 PM May 22
