Encyclopedia of Paleoherpetology, Part 1: Lepospondyli Microsauria, Nectridea, Lysorophia, Adelospondyli, Aistopoda, Acherontiscidae

About this book

This volume includes descriptions of a number of amphibian groups commonly referred to as lepospondyls. Three groups, now considered as orders, have long been included among the lepospondyls: the microsaurs, the nectrideans, and the a#stopods. Two clearly distinct families, the Lysorophidae and Adelogyrinidae, have been associated with the microsaurs or treated as separate groups within the lepospondyls. They are here placed in separate orders. The lepospondyls encompass a wide variety of small animals that differentiated near the base of the Lower Carboniferous and persisted for at least 75 million years, to the end of the Lower Permian. Together they show more anatomical diversity than do all the living amphibian orders. Despite the many autapomorphies of the individual groups, recent phylogenetic analysis does support a common ancestry of the lepospondyl orders.

Contents

Foreword (P. WELLNHOFER)  v
Preface  vi
Acknowledgements  vii
Institutional Abbreviations  viii
Figure Abbreviations  ix

Order Microsauria (R. L. CARROLL)
Introduction  1
  Characteristics of Microsaurs  1
History of the Microsaur Concept  2
Taxonomy  4
Comparative Osteology  6
  Skull  6
  Vertebrae and Ribs  18
  Appendicular Skeleton  22
  Scales and other dermal Ossifications  32
Systematic Review  34
  Suborder Tuditanomorpha CARROLL and GASKILL 1978  34
    Family Tuditanidae COPE 1875  34
    Family Hapsidopareiontidae DALY 1973  39
    Family Pantylidae CASE 1911  42
    Family Gymnarthridae CASE 1919  42
    Family Ostodolepidae ROMER 1945  50
    Family Trihecatontidae VAUGHN 1972  51
    Family Goniorhynchidae CARROLL and GASKILL 1978  54
  Suborder Microbrachomorpha CARROLL and GASKILL 1978  54
    Family Microbrachidae FRITSCH 1883  54
    Family Hyloplesiontidae CARROLL and GASKILL 1978  56
    Family Brachystelechidae CARROLL and GASKILL 1978  58
    Family Odonterpetontidae CARROLL and GASKILL 1978  65
    Family undesignated  66
  Specimens questionably assigned to the Microsauria  67
  Genera incorrectly assigned to the Microsauria  67
Biology  68
Geographical Distribution  71

Order Nectridea (K. A. BOSSY and A. C. MILNER)
Introduction  73
  Museum Abbreviations  73
Taxonomic History  74
  Index of Taxa  76
Comparative Osteology  76
  Skull  76
  Postcranial Skeleton  88
  Appendicular Skeleton  94
  Dermal Scales  103
Functional Morphology  105
Life History and Growth  108
Systematic Review  109
  Family Urocordylidae LYDEKKER 1889  109
  Family Diplocaulidae COPE 1881  122
  Family Scincosauridae JAEKEL 1909  128
  Nectridea incertae sedis  130
  Rejected and reidentified Taxa  131
  Ichnotaxa  131

Order Lysorophia (C. F. WELLSTEAD)
Introduction  133
Historical Review  133
Anatomy of the Lysorophia  135
  Skull  135
  Vertebrae and Ribs  140
  Appendicular Skeleton  142
Systematic Review  143
  Family Cocytinidae COPE 1875d  143
  Lysorophia incertae sedis  144
Habitus  145
Geological and Geographical Distribution  146
Phylogenetic Relationships of Lysorophoids  147

Order Adelospondyli (R. L. CARROLL and S. M. ANDREWS)
Introduction  149
Taxonomic History  149
Comparative Osteology  150
  General appearance of Skull  150
  Postcranial Skeleton  155
  Appendicular Skeleton  159
Systematic Review  160
  Family Adelogyrinidae BROUGH and BROUGH 1967  160
Relationships  161
Mode of Life and Environment  161

Order Aïstopoda (R. L. CARROLL )
Introduction  163
Taxonomic History  164
Comparative Osteology  165
  Skull  165
  Vertebrae and Ribs  174
  Appendicular Skeleton  174
Systematic Review  179
  Family Lethiscidae WELLSTEAD 1982  179
  Family Ophiderpetontidae SCHWARZ 1908  179
  Family Phlegethontiidae COPE 1875  181
  Aïstopoda incerti sedis  182

Order undesignated (R. L. CARROLL)
Family Acherontiscidae CARROLL 1967  183
Systematic Review  185
  Family Acherontiscidae CARROLL 1967  185

Summary (R. L. CARROLL)

Geological and Geographical Distribution  187
Interrelationships  190
Bibliography  206
Index of Genera and higher Taxa  213

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