[continued from previous message]   
      
   > Scrotifera, but the relevant nodes, depending on topology, are Zooamata   
   > or Ferungulata, which are younger.   
   >   
   > As support for hooves as a convergent trait, not all mesonychians (which   
   > are stem artiodactyls) possessed hooves. However there is dispute   
   > whether the hoofless mesonychians (arctocyonids) are stem-artiodactyls.   
      
   The whole problem with these claims is that they did not know that the   
   dinos had hooves until they found the mummies.  They had been assuming   
   claws for centuries.  How do you know that the mammalian taxa had claws   
   instead of hooves?  Even the ancient dino footprints did not   
   differentiate claws from hooves.   
      
   Ron Okimoto   
      
   >> Ron Okimoto   
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