Talk:Morganucodon
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[edit] What Defines a Mammal
The three distinct bones of the middle ear is the hallmark of the mammalian species. The jaw joint is only a consequence of that in that they are correlated, but it is not what defines a mammal. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 152.13.72.89 (talk) 19:23, 2 May 2008 (UTC)
I have to disagree on this - the formation of the mammalian jaw joint, i.e. a joint between the dentary and the squamosal, has and is still being used to define a mammal, and is being used as such in some of the most influential publications in the field. Another potential definition that has been used is the absence of ANY postdentary bones in the lower jaw, though I would say that the jaw joint definition is the more widely accepted definition. Granted, all this is very theoretical as it is just a labelling exercise with no real consequences for the biology of this mammal. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 79.64.209.23 (talk) 00:06, 7 June 2008 (UTC)
