Re: On Fossilized Yorkies

Steve Clark (ssclark@facstaff.wisc.edu)
Wed, 22 Jan 1997 19:16:36 -0600

At 11:10 AM 1/22/97 -0600, Russell Cannon wrote:
>Here is the dumb question of the month: How are scientists able to
>differentiate species and establish family relationships merely by
>examing the fossilized remains of long-extinct species?
>
>Suppose for a moment that the domesticated dog was extinct. Suppose also
>that the incredible diversity of the species canis familiaris existed in
>the distant past long before the appearance of man--extinct before the
>first hominids walked the planet. Now what would modern scientists
>conclude about the fossilized remains of the species? Would they be
>grouped into the single species which they are? or would they be
>grouped into a family of related species? or would every diverse form
>be considered a unique species?

Good question and welcome to the reflector, Russell. While I am not a
paleontologist, I am a biologist who suffered through a course in
comparative anatomy too many years ago. Basically, the paleontologists
studying dog fossils would have almost as much anatomical data to work from
as we do today. Since we can, today, distinguish between different canine
species (e.g., domestic dog, wolf, coyote, hyena, etc.) anatomically, why
couldn't a future paleontologist do the same?

However, it should be kept in mind that controversies in classification do
exist among paleontologists. This means that some fossil classifications
are relatively straightforward, while others are more difficult to assign.
It's kind of like interpreting the bible. Some passages are much easier to
understand than others--but somehow we keep on going.

Cheers,

Steve
____________________________________________________________
Steven S. Clark, Ph.D . Phone: 608/263-9137
Associate Professor FAX: 608/263-4226
Dept. of Human Oncology and Email: ssclark@facstaff.wisc.edu
UW Comprehensive Cancer Center
CSC K4-432
600 Highland Ave.
Madison, WI 53792
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