Feathers of birds and reptile's scales
Scientists are able to make bird skin develop feathers where it was supposed to grow scales (specially scutes), with a treatment with retinoic acid.
Crocodiles also have this same sort of scale, so I wonder what would happen with this treatment on crocodile's skin prior to the development of scales.
I'm not expecting a perfect feather of course, but I'm just curious to know what would result from there; perhaps there is "something" of a feather already there.
http://www.dinosauria.com/jdp/archie/scutes.htm
According to some theories, scutes may actually be derived from feathers (I personally find that unlikely) so the result could be somewhat surprising, more feather-like rather than some weird not-quite-scale-but-yet-far from-a-feather thing.
Scientists are able to make bird skin develop feathers where it was supposed to grow scales (specially scutes), with a treatment with retinoic acid.
Crocodiles also have this same sort of scale, so I wonder what would happen with this treatment on crocodile's skin prior to the development of scales.
I'm not expecting a perfect feather of course, but I'm just curious to know what would result from there; perhaps there is "something" of a feather already there.
http://www.dinosauria.com/jdp/archie/scutes.htm
According to some theories, scutes may actually be derived from feathers (I personally find that unlikely) so the result could be somewhat surprising, more feather-like rather than some weird not-quite-scale-but-yet-far from-a-feather thing.
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