does the fact that birds are the modern day descendants of dinosaurs mean that temperature didn't determine the gender of dino young?

Raymond2021-02-06T21:21:01Z

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If you go back far enough in the evolution, yes, birds did evolve from some form of dinosaurs (theropods?). They are, somewhat remotely, related to alligators. But that does require us to go WAAAY back.

It is already known that, for some species, temperature does have some (statistical) effect on the performance of spermatozoids, thus causing a (small) preference for one gender rather than the other (depending on being too hot or too cold). However, this does not prevent either gender-specific spermatozoid to reach the ovum.

However, the effect of temperature (by itself) is small, relative to other effects. Also, it does not affect all members of the species equally (and not all subspecies).

What the presence of birds "prove" is that temperature, by itself, is not a sufficient explanation to explain gender disparity.

daniel g2021-02-08T01:24:41Z

WOW,,you know something I never heard of, and can't find reference to.

οικος2021-02-07T01:07:52Z

What do you mean, "fact"? That's only a hypothesis and a dubious one at that, except among laymen.

JazSinc2021-02-06T21:43:03Z

I'm going with a "We don't know" thing.
Birds and dinosaurs and crocodilians are all archosaurs.
Birds use the ZW genetic system.
Crocodilians use a temperature-dependent system.
I'm going with "We don't know about dinosaurs, and maybe not all dinosaurs used the same system anyway."

regerugged2021-02-06T20:40:02Z

What you cite is not a fact.  Birds did not descend from dinosaurs.

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