Anthracosaurus is an extinct genus of embolomere, a possible distant relative of reptiles that lived during the Late Carboniferous (around 315 million years ago) in what is now Scotland, England, and Ohio.[1][2][3] It was a large, aquatic eel-like predator. It has a robust skull about 40 centimetres (1.3 ft) in length with large teeth in the jaws and on the roof of the mouth. Anthracosaurus probably inhabited swamps, rivers and lakes. Its name is Greek for "coal lizard".
Anthracosaurus
Temporal range: Westphalian A – Westphalian B (late Bashkirian – early Moscovian)
The genus and type speciesAnthracosaurus russelli were named by Thomas Henry Huxley in 1863, based on fossils acquired by mining surveyor James Russell in 1861.[4] Nearly all fossils were found near Airdrie, in the historic County Lanarkshire of Scotland. Geologically speaking, they hail from the Blackband Ironstone of the Scottish Middle Coal Measures. In traditional European stratigraphy, this layer would be dated to the Westphalian B, corresponding to the early-middle part of the Pennsylvanian (Late Carboniferous). The holotype is a large flattened cranium embedded in an ironstonenodule. Due to the tough mineral encrustation, it would take more than a century for the skull to be fully prepared and cleared of matrix.[1] Subsequent to Huxley's original description, incremental preparation allowed for the skull to be redescribed by Watson (1929)[5] and later Panchen (1977).[1] Other fossils from Airdrie include lower jaw fragments, teeth, vertebrae, and possibly a partial interclavicle.[1] It is uncertain whether the postcranial fossils truly belong to Anthracosaurus. The vertebrae are undiagnostic beyond their embolomerous form, while the interclavicle shows similarity to that of Pholiderpeton.[2]
Englandedit
A second, less complete skull from Washington (in the historic County Durham of England) was assigned to Anthracosaurus russelli by Panchen et al. (1967). It is slightly older than the Scottish fossils, dating to the Lower Coal Measures (Westphalian A).[6][1] Panchen (1981) expanded the list of English fossils with an incomplete jaw stored in the Hancock Museum, possibly from the Lower Main Seam of Newsham, Northumberland (Westphalian B).[7]Clack (1987) described two additional Anthracosaurus fossils from Newsham: a partial skull roof (previously referred to Pteroplax cornuta or Eogyrinus attheyi) and an isolated jugal bone.[2]
Ohioedit
Romer (1963)[8] showed that the tooth of an animal that J. S. Newberry named "Rhizodus lancifer," from the Diamond Coal Mine, a Carboniferous site in Linton, Ohio, belonged to a species of Anthracosaurus. Now known as Anthracosaurus lancifer, this species is represented by a collection of isolated teeth, vertebrae, and molds of a snout and shoulder girdle. The snout shows enlarged premaxillary teeth, but this trait is present in other American embolomeres like Eobaphetes and Neopteroplax. Another embolomere described from Linton, Leptophractus obsoletus,[1] probably represents an early growth phase of Anthracosaurus lancifer.
^ abcClack, J.A. (1987). "Two new specimens of Anthracosaurus (Amphibia: Anthracosauria) from the Northumberland Coal Measures" (PDF). Palaeontology. 30 (1): 15–26.
^Babcock, L. E. (2024). "Some vertebrate types (Chondrichthyes, Actinopterygii, Sarcopterygii, and Tetrapoda) from two Paleozoic Lagerstätten of Ohio, U.S.A." Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology. 44: 1–12. doi:10.1080/02724634.2024.2308621.
^Huxley, T. H. (1863). "Description of Anthracosaurus russelli, a new labyrinthodont from the Lanarkshire coal-field". Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society. 19 (1–2): 56–68. doi:10.1144/GSL.JGS.1863.019.01-02.11. ISSN 0370-291X.
^Watson, D.M.S. (1929). "The Carboniferous Amphibia of Scotland". Palaeontologia Hungarica. 1: 219–252.
^Panchen, A. L.; Tilley, Eileen H.; Steel, C. A. B. (1967). "Discovery of an Anthracosaur Skull in the Durham Coal Measures". Nature. 214 (5092): 1001. doi:10.1038/2141001a0. ISSN 0028-0836.
^Panchen, A.L. (1981). "A jaw ramus of the Coal Measure amphibian Anthracosaurus from Northumberland" (PDF). Palaeontology. 24 (1): 85–92.
^Romer, Alfred S. (1963). "The larger embolomerous amphibians of the American Carboniferous". Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University. 128: 415–454.
External linksedit
April 13, 2024
anthracosaurus, extinct, genus, embolomere, possible, distant, relative, reptiles, that, lived, during, late, carboniferous, around, million, years, what, scotland, england, ohio, large, aquatic, like, predator, robust, skull, about, centimetres, length, with,. Anthracosaurus is an extinct genus of embolomere a possible distant relative of reptiles that lived during the Late Carboniferous around 315 million years ago in what is now Scotland England and Ohio 1 2 3 It was a large aquatic eel like predator It has a robust skull about 40 centimetres 1 3 ft in length with large teeth in the jaws and on the roof of the mouth Anthracosaurus probably inhabited swamps rivers and lakes Its name is Greek for coal lizard AnthracosaurusTemporal range Westphalian A Westphalian B late Bashkirian early Moscovian PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Life restoration of Anthracosaurus russeliScientific classificationDomain EukaryotaKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClade SarcopterygiiClade TetrapodomorphaOrder EmbolomeriFamily AnthracosauridaeCope 1875Genus AnthracosaurusHuxley 1863Type species Anthracosaurus russelliHuxley 1863 Contents 1 Discovery and specimens 1 1 Scotland 1 2 England 1 3 Ohio 2 References 3 External linksDiscovery and specimens editScotland edit The genus and type species Anthracosaurus russelli were named by Thomas Henry Huxley in 1863 based on fossils acquired by mining surveyor James Russell in 1861 4 Nearly all fossils were found near Airdrie in the historic County Lanarkshire of Scotland Geologically speaking they hail from the Blackband Ironstone of the Scottish Middle Coal Measures In traditional European stratigraphy this layer would be dated to the Westphalian B corresponding to the early middle part of the Pennsylvanian Late Carboniferous The holotype is a large flattened cranium embedded in an ironstone nodule Due to the tough mineral encrustation it would take more than a century for the skull to be fully prepared and cleared of matrix 1 Subsequent to Huxley s original description incremental preparation allowed for the skull to be redescribed by Watson 1929 5 and later Panchen 1977 1 Other fossils from Airdrie include lower jaw fragments teeth vertebrae and possibly a partial interclavicle 1 It is uncertain whether the postcranial fossils truly belong to Anthracosaurus The vertebrae are undiagnostic beyond their embolomerous form while the interclavicle shows similarity to that of Pholiderpeton 2 England edit A second less complete skull from Washington in the historic County Durham of England was assigned to Anthracosaurus russelli by Panchen et al 1967 It is slightly older than the Scottish fossils dating to the Lower Coal Measures Westphalian A 6 1 Panchen 1981 expanded the list of English fossils with an incomplete jaw stored in the Hancock Museum possibly from the Lower Main Seam of Newsham Northumberland Westphalian B 7 Clack 1987 described two additional Anthracosaurus fossils from Newsham a partial skull roof previously referred to Pteroplax cornuta or Eogyrinus attheyi and an isolated jugal bone 2 Ohio edit Romer 1963 8 showed that the tooth of an animal that J S Newberry named Rhizodus lancifer from the Diamond Coal Mine a Carboniferous site in Linton Ohio belonged to a species of Anthracosaurus Now known as Anthracosaurus lancifer this species is represented by a collection of isolated teeth vertebrae and molds of a snout and shoulder girdle The snout shows enlarged premaxillary teeth but this trait is present in other American embolomeres like Eobaphetes and Neopteroplax Another embolomere described from Linton Leptophractus obsoletus 1 probably represents an early growth phase of Anthracosaurus lancifer References edit a b c d e f Panchen A L 1977 On Anthracosaurus russelli Huxley Amphibia Labyrinthodontia and the family Anthracosauridae Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B 279 968 447 512 doi 10 1098 rstb 1977 0096 a b c Clack J A 1987 Two new specimens of Anthracosaurus Amphibia Anthracosauria from the Northumberland Coal Measures PDF Palaeontology 30 1 15 26 Babcock L E 2024 Some vertebrate types Chondrichthyes Actinopterygii Sarcopterygii and Tetrapoda from two Paleozoic Lagerstatten of Ohio U S A Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 44 1 12 doi 10 1080 02724634 2024 2308621 Huxley T H 1863 Description of Anthracosaurus russelli a new labyrinthodont from the Lanarkshire coal field Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society 19 1 2 56 68 doi 10 1144 GSL JGS 1863 019 01 02 11 ISSN 0370 291X Watson D M S 1929 The Carboniferous Amphibia of Scotland Palaeontologia Hungarica 1 219 252 Panchen A L Tilley Eileen H Steel C A B 1967 Discovery of an Anthracosaur Skull in the Durham Coal Measures Nature 214 5092 1001 doi 10 1038 2141001a0 ISSN 0028 0836 Panchen A L 1981 A jaw ramus of the Coal Measure amphibian Anthracosaurus from Northumberland PDF Palaeontology 24 1 85 92 Romer Alfred S 1963 The larger embolomerous amphibians of the American Carboniferous Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology Harvard University 128 415 454 External links editClassification of Anthracosaurus Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Anthracosaurus amp oldid 1209581933, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
