Biology:Protoclepsydrops
Protoclepsydrops is an extinct genus of early synapsids, found in Joggins, Nova Scotia.[1] The name means 'first Clepsydrops', and refers to it being the predecessor of the other early synapsid Clepsydrops.
Description
Like Archaeothyris, Protoclepsydrops resembled a modern lizard in superficial appearance. However, Protoclepsydrops had primitive vertebrae with tiny neural processes typical of their amniote ancestors. Protoclepsydrops is known from a few vertebrae and some humeri.[2]
Classification
Its skeletal remains indicate that it may have been more closely related to synapsids than to sauropsids, making it a possible stem-mammal. If so, it is the oldest synapsid known, though its status is unconfirmed because its remains are too fragmentary. Protoclepsydrops lived slightly earlier than Archaeothyris.[3] It is possibly synonymous with Asaphestera, another early synapsid discovered from the same locality.[4]
See also
- List of pelycosaurs
- Evolution of mammals
- List of transitional fossils
- Carboniferous tetrapods
- Clepsydrops
References
- ↑ Carroll, Robert L. (1964). "The earliest reptiles". Journal of the Linnean Society of London, Zoology 45 (304): 61–83. doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.1964.tb00488.x.
- ↑ Reisz, R., 1972. Pelycosaurian reptiles from the middle Pennsylvanian of North America. Harvard University.
- ↑ Benton M.J. and Donoghue P.C.J. 2006. Palaeontological evidence to date the tree of life. Molecular biology and evolution. 24(1): 26–53. [1]
- ↑ Mann, Arjan; Gee, Bryan M.; Pardo, Jason D.; Marjanović, David; Adams, Gabrielle R.; Calthorpe, Ami S.; Maddin, Hillary C.; Anderson, Jason S. (5 May 2020). Sansom, Robert. ed. "Reassessment of historic 'microsaurs' from Joggins, Nova Scotia, reveals hidden diversity in the earliest amniote ecosystem". Papers in Palaeontology (Wiley) 6 (4): 605–625. doi:10.1002/spp2.1316. ISSN 2056-2802. Bibcode: 2020PPal....6..605M.
External links
Template:Basal synapsids Wikidata ☰ Q950971 entry
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