The postcranial skeleton of the Permian microsaur Pantylus

1968 ◽  
Vol 46 (6) ◽  
pp. 1175-1192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert L. Carroll

The description of the postcranial skeleton of Pantylus is based on four specimens from the Putnam Formation, Wichita Group, and material from the Clyde Formation, Clear Fork Group, Lower Permian of Texas. The presence of haemal arches, only 24 presacral vertebrae, and an astragalus and calcaneum are reptilian features, but the anatomy of the cervical vertebrae, the absence of trunk intercentra, and the nature of the scales as well as the anatomy of the skull indicate that this genus is a microsaur. The carpals, described for the first time in any microsaur, resemble those of rhachitomous amphibians in having a large proximal centrale. There are four manus digits and five in the pes. Pantylus was apparently a fully terrestrial form, with stout although short limbs. The presence of heavy ventral armor suggests that it dragged itself along the ground, or was a burrowing form. The extensive wear shown by the massive tooth plates indicates a diet of hard-shelled invertebrates or plant food. Pantylus is most clearly related to the Early Pennsylvanian microsaur Trachystegos. Although both genera may be related to the gymnarthrids Cardiocephalus and Euryodus, they are sufficiently distinct to be placed in a separate family.

1989 ◽  
Vol 26 (7) ◽  
pp. 1343-1349 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stuart S. Sumida

UCLA VP 1651, a new specimen from the Lower Permian Admiral Formation of Archer County, Texas, provides information on heretofore unknown portions of the postcranial skeleton of the large pelycosaur Lupeosaurus. Presacral neural spines are elongate and have a subcircular cross section. Laterally directed tubercles are not present on any of the neural spines. Cervical vertebrae appear to have elongate neural spines and sharply keeled centra. Transverse processes are positioned relatively high above the bases of the centra through the length of axial column. The pattern of tilting of the neural spines is similar to that in the primitive edaphosaur Ianthasaurus hardestii. The proximal end of the first sacral rib contributes significantly to the intervertebral articular facet usually formed by the centra. The sacral ribs do not appear to fuse with one another distally. The ventral clavicular plate is greatly expanded anteriorly. The posterior edge of the subcoracoscapular fossa is very well defined. The available morphological information does not warrant a separate familial designation for the genus Lupeosaurus. Despite the lack of laterally directed tubercles of the neural spines, Lupeosaurus appears to be referrable to the Edaphosauridae. However, in the absence of cranial materials, this association must remain tentative. Although this description adds new information for only a restricted portion of the skeleton, it does appear to confirm the existence of a distinct, albeit rare, pelycosaur from the extensively studied fauna of the Lower Permian.


2021 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 84-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angélica María Medrano Enríquez

AbstractRecent salvage excavations conducted in the Early Postclassic city of Tula, Hidalgo, exposed a residential compound containing an open patio, beneath which was discovered a massive burial, designated Feature 5. Human remains involving a minimum of 49 individuals were discovered, many of whom were arranged in a sitting or squatting position. The majority of individuals, including all of the latter, were young children. The bioarchaeological analysis suggests that they were sacrificed. Many individuals exhibited anthropogenic modification, including cut marks on the skull and postcranial skeleton, indicating the children had been flayed. Some individuals were represented only by the skull and cervical vertebrae, suggesting decapitation. The individuals appeared to be in bad health, a common attribute of children sacrificed to Tlaloc by the Aztecs. According to ethnohistorical sources, children offered to Tlaloc commonly had their throats slit, although this practice was not identified among the individuals in Feature 5, possibly owing to their young age. Sacrifice also may have been made to Xipe Totec, as suggested by the evidence of flaying and the presence of a large hollow sculpture of the deity located in an adjacent residential compound, a deity who has been also linked to human sacrifice related to regeneration and fertility.


2022 ◽  
Vol 128 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
VLADIMIR SILANTIEV ◽  
LORENZO MARCHETTI ◽  
AUSONIO RONCHI ◽  
PAOLO SCHIROLLI ◽  
FRANK SCHOLZE ◽  
...  

Non-marine bivalves are key fossils in Permian continental stratigraphy and palaeogeography. Although known since the end of 19th century, the occurrences from the continental basins of the Southern Alps have never been extensively studied. The non-marine bivalves from the Lower Permian Collio Formation (Brescian pre-Alps) are herein revised, and those from the Guncina Formation (Athesian District) are described for the first time. These two units yielded non-marine bivalves belonging to the genus Palaeomutela sensu lato, which is widespread in the Permian continental successions of eastern Euramerica. Three Palaeomutela morphotypes have been herein described: oval-subtriangular, subtrapezoidal and elongated. The latter includes several specimens herein assigned to Palaeomutela (Palaeanodonta) berrutii sp. nov. and dominates the Collio Formation association. The Guncina Formation yielded also the genus Redikorella, for the first time co-occurring on the same stratigraphic horizon of Palaeomutela, herein assigned to Palaeomutela (Palaeanodonta) guncinaensis sp. nov. To-date, it was generally accepted that the first members of the genera Palaeomutela and Redikorella occurred during the Ufimian (late Kungurian of the global scale) in the non-marine basins of the Cis-Ural Foredeep and of Angara, respectively. Such new finds in the early-middle Kungurian of southwestern Europe, well constrained by radioisotopic dating, suggest new global first appearance (First Appearance Datum) and a possible new center of origin of these genera. This fact raises new questions on biostratigraphy, palaeobiogeography and palaeoecology, which will require further research. If we assume that the genera Palaeomutela and Redikorella had only one center of origin, we need to hypothesise possible migration routes from SW Europe to the continental basins of Eastern Europe and Angara. Apparently, such migration could be better supported by a Pangaea B palaeogeographic configuration.


2014 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 1 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert B Holmes

The postcranial skeleton of Vagaceratops (= Chasmosaurus) irvinensis (CMN 41357), lacking only the tail, most of the left front and left hind limbs, and portions of the pelvis, is preserved in articulation. It is one of the most complete, best articulated ceratopsid skeletons known. Both the manus and vertebral column exhibit conspicuous pathologies, possibly an indication of advanced age at the time of death. The vertebral column comprises a syncervical, six additional cervical vertebrae, and 12 dorsals. A partial synsacrum is represented by two dorsosacrals, four sacrals, two caudosacrals, and a partial third caudosacral centrum. The ribcage, although crushed, is nearly complete. The sternum is unusually wide compared with other ceratopsids. As in other chasmosaurines, the humerus bears a prominent deltopectoral crest that forms the anterior edge of the broad, rectangular proximal humeral expansion. The medial tuberosity is separated from the dorsal surface of the humerus by a distinct notch. The insertion for the latissimus dorsi is conspicuous. The deltopectoral crest extends a full half of the distance to the distal end of the humerus. Epipodials of the forelimb are relatively short compared to the corresponding propodial. The ulna has a long, distinctly triangular olecranon, broadly rounded anterolateral process, prominent medial process, and a deeply concave trochlear notch. The terminal phalanges on the fourth and fifth manual digits are relatively large, and unlike other ceratopsids have distinct distal ?articular facets. The fourth trochanter of the femur is relatively proximal in position. This study and other recent studies of ceratopsid postcrania suggest that potentially useful taxonomic variation is present in the number of dorsosacrals, size of the groove on the ventral surface of the sacrum, morphology of the last dorsal and dorsosacral ribs, morphology of the scapula and proximal expansion of the humerus, morphology of the ulna, ratio of humerus/epipodium, morphology of the fifth manual digit, and position of the fourth trochanter of the femur.


1989 ◽  
Vol 63 (6) ◽  
pp. 919-930 ◽  
Author(s):  
Walter W. Dalquest ◽  
M. John Kocurko ◽  
John V. Grimes

A newly discovered locality of aestivation burrow casts containing the lungfish, Gnathorhiza serrata, is reported from the early Permian Arroyo Formation of Wilbarger County, north-central Texas. Remains preserved in the burrow casts provide sections of mummified Gnathorhiza and new information about the postcranial skeleton of this fish. Scales of Gnathorhiza resemble those of the modern lungfishes such as Lepidosiren in their microanatomy. No traces of paddle-like pectoral or pelvic fins were found and paired fins of Gnathorhiza may have resembled those of Lepidosiren. The axial skeleton and median fins of Gnathorhiza seem to resemble those of Lepidosiren except that the tail area and caudal fin of Gnathorhiza were stout and strong rather than slender and tapering. Gnathorhiza, which aestivated tail-down in its burrow, may have required a stout tail for support.


Author(s):  
Jozef Klembara ◽  
Marcello Ruta

ABSTRACTThe postcranial skeleton of Ariekanerpeton sigalovi (Seymouriamorpha: Discosauriscidae; Lower Permian, Tadzhikistan) differs from that of like-sized Discosauriscus specimens in showing: wider interclavicle anterior plate with smaller, rhomboidal sculptured field on its ventral surface not reaching plate posteromedial margins; broader interclavicle plate-stem junction; slightly narrower interclavicle posterior stem; anteroposteriorly narrower clavicle ventral plate with convex posterior margin; shorter, more robust humerus; four phalanges on fourth manus digit (five phalanges in Discosauriscus); ilium more elongate dorsoventrally with anteroposteriorly narrower neck; posterior process of iliac blade oriented distinctly posterodorsally rather than horizontally; more gracile atlantal rib; broadened distal end of second presacral rib. A revised cladistic analysis of the best known seymouriamorph species retrieves Ariekanerpeton either as sister group to both species of Discosauriscus, or to D. austriacus only.


2019 ◽  
Vol 489 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-56
Author(s):  
N. S. Inkina

The article for the first time presents data on the material composition and structure of the Sezym Formation of the Lower Permian of the Western slope of the Polar Urals, which lies with stratigraphic disagreement on shallow medium-Carboniferous limestone and according to the overlapping deep-sea Artinian terrigenous deposits. New data are important for paleogeography and geodynamic reconstruction of the North-East of the European platform in the late Paleozoic.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tito Aureliano ◽  
Aline M. Ghilardi ◽  
Bruno A. Navarro ◽  
Marcelo A. Fernandes ◽  
Fresia Ricardi-Branco ◽  
...  

AbstractThis study reports the occurrence of pneumosteum (osteohistological structure related to an avian-like air sac system) in a nanoid (5.7-m-long) saltasaurid titanosaur from Upper Cretaceous Brazil. We corroborate the hypothesis of the presence of an air sac system in titanosaurians based upon vertebral features identified through external observation and computed tomography. This is the fifth non-avian dinosaur taxon in which histological traces of air sacs have been found. We provided a detailed description of pneumatic structures from external osteology and CT scan data as a parameter for comparison with other taxa. The camellate pattern found in the vertebral centrum (ce) of this taxon and other titanosaurs shows distinct architectures. This might indicate whether cervical or lung diverticula pneumatized different elements. A cotylar internal plate of bone tissue sustains radial camellae (rad) in a condition similar to Alamosaurus and Saltasaurus. Moreover, circumferential chambers (cc) near the cotyle might be an example of convergence between diplodocoids and titanosaurs. Finally, we also register for the first time pneumatic foramina (fo) and fossae connecting camellate structures inside the neural canal in Titanosauria and the second published case in non-avian dinosaurs. The extreme pneumaticity observed in this nanoid titanosaur contrasts with previous assumptions that this feature correlates with the evolution of gigantic sizes in sauropodomorphs. This study reinforces that even small-bodied sauropod clades could present a hyperpneumatized postcranial skeleton, a character inherited from their large-bodied ancestors.


2014 ◽  
Vol 88 (3) ◽  
pp. 531-544 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriela A. Cisterna ◽  
G. R. Shi

Although there is a generally accepted framework for the Permian marine biogeography of Australia, significant uncertainties remain concerning the temporal biogeographical changes closely related to the timing of Permian glacial–interglacial events. Several recent studies along these research lines demonstrate the importance of a reliable high-resolution biostratigraphical timescale for paleobiogeographical and paleoclimatic reconstructions. This paper provides, for the first time, a full taxonomic and biostratigraphical study of the brachiopod fauna from the Wasp Head Formation, southern Sydney Basin, southeastern Australia. The fauna is associated with deposits of the first Permian glacial interval suggested for eastern Australia. Three brachiopod assemblages are recognized. The lower and middle assemblages contain scarce brachiopods although associated bivalves are comparatively more common. Despite very low diversity and low abundance, these two brachiopod assemblages contain characteristic species of the Strophalosia concentrica and Strophalosia subcircularis brachiopod zones, both considered of late Asselian age. The third assemblage, occurring in the uppermost part of the formation, contains more brachiopods than bivalves and is referred to early Sakmarian in age. The species diversity and stratigraphic occurrences of the brachiopod assemblages in relation to sedimentary facies suggest that the lower two assemblages may represent an intra-glacial interval while the younger third assemblage, characterized by abundant occurrences of Trigonotreta and Tomiopsis species, accompanied by the bivalve Eurydesma, is more indicative of a post-glacial benthic marine fauna comparable to coeval brachiopod faunas found elsewhere in Gondwana.


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