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Science Fact Friday: A skull classification system that works all of the sometimes.
This is an example of why evolutionary trees get reorganized fairly often. Until recently it was believed that turtles were anapsids. Molecular studies indicate that they’re actually diapsids who lost their fenestra so they just /look/ anapsid. With our spotty fossil record, morphology isn’t always reliable – but sometimes it is. Some of the first evidence that birds are dinosaurs was based on skull studies. Likewise, it helped separate ancient proto-mammalian and non-mammalian reptiles. Like most tools, it’s best used in combination with other techniques.
Support Science Fact Friday on Patreon

Description

Science Fact Friday: A skull classification system that works all of the sometimes.
This is an example of why evolutionary trees get reorganized fairly often. Until recently it was believed that turtles were anapsids. Molecular studies indicate that they’re actually diapsids who lost their fenestra so they just /look/ anapsid. With our spotty fossil record, morphology isn’t always reliable – but sometimes it is. Some of the first evidence that birds are dinosaurs was based on skull studies. Likewise, it helped separate ancient proto-mammalian and non-mammalian reptiles. Like most tools, it’s best used in combination with other techniques.
Support Science Fact Friday on Patreon