Talk:Metriorhynchus

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[edit] Does crocodiles give birth to live young

Is there any proof that the Metriorhynchus is not a egg laying animal? Unlike mosasaurs and certain plesiosaurs Metriorhynchus would be well adapted to walking on land because it had feet instead of flippers.

There is no proof it did lay eggs or that it did not. The fore-limbs of Metriorhynchus were paddle-like flippers, however their hind-limbs were similar to extant species, only smaller and with a reduced pelvic girdle. Like ichthyosaurs they had a tail fluke, which when combined with their lack of dermal armour and fore-flippers would have made them vulnerable out of the water to predation by dinosaurs(i.e. crawling back onto land somewhat simiarly to extant sea turtles). It is interesting to note that in Geosaurus, a closely related genus the hind-limbs are are also somewhat paddle-like, with the digit V of the pes lost and a reduction in the phalange number of digits I and II. However as no eggs or nests have been found, or any specimens giving live birth (like nothosaurs and ichthyosaurs), this question cannot be answered. Mark t young 11:50, 2 July 2006 (UTC)