Protoclepsydrops
| Protoclepsydrops Temporal range: Late Carboniferous,
| |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification Edit this classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Clade: | Synapsida |
| Clade: | incertae sedis |
| Genus: | †Protoclepsydrops Carroll, 1964 |
| Type species | |
| †Protoclepsydrops haplous Carroll, 1964
| |
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
[edit | edit source]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
[edit | edit source]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
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- List of pelycosaurs
- Evolution of mammals
- List of transitional fossils
- Carboniferous tetrapods
- Clepsydrops
References
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- ^ 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]
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
External links
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