The Coal Measures Amphibia of North AmericaMoodie, Roy Lee
Science
The Coal Measures Amphibia of North America
Moodie, Roy Lee
Amphibians, Fossil -- North America; Paleontology -- Carboniferous; Paleontology -- North America
(No. 8607, American Museum of Natural History.)
mm.
Length of skull as preserved 40
Anterior width across orbital region 22
Greatest width of the skull 33
Length of clavicle 18
Greatest width of clavicle 9
Still a third specimen of this species is possibly represented by a nearly
complete skull of a small individual which exposes the mandible and the
ventral portion of the skull. The remains are crushed flat, though not at
all distorted. It is quite possible that the present specimen represents
a distinct species, but only a small portion of the dorsum is present and
the shape of the cranium is indistinct, so it is retained in this species.
The portion of the skull shows the sculpture to be quite similar to that
of _Erpetosaurus acutirostris_, so far as the species is known; and the
skull apparently tapers to a point anteriorly. It may be a dwarfed or
immature form. The sculpturing of the jaw is such as we would expect of
this species.
The specimen is about half the size of the type. The palate of the skull
is well preserved and is extremely interesting. The sutures separating
the various palatal elements are not distinct. The parasphenoid is
especially large and the exoccipitals are partly ossified, if we may judge
by the projecting condyles. Anteriorly the parasphenoid contracts and
then expands and on each side of the expanded part lie fragments of the
palatines. To the right of the posterior end of the parasphenoid lies a
portion of the dorsal element showing the cranial sculpture.
The left mandible is somewhat displaced to the right of the skull, and
crushed and weathered to such an extent that the sutures are entirely
obliterated. There are 3 teeth, with indications of others. They are
typically pleurodont and sharp and slender. The mandible tapers somewhat
anteriorly and at the tip bears an elongate enlarged tooth.
Measurements of the Third Specimen of Erpetosaurus acutirostris Moodie in
the American Museum of Natural History.
mm.
Length of skull, as preserved 25
Posterior width of skull 15
Anterior width of skull 10
Width across occipital condyles 4
Length of mandible 25
Anterior width of mandible 2
Length of large tooth 1
=Erpetosaurus tuberculatus Moodie.=
Moodie, Bull. Amer. Mus. Nat. Hist., XXVI, pp. 348-349, pl. lviii,
1909.
Type: Specimen Nos. 8693 G and 8610 G, American Museum of Natural History.
Horizon and locality: Linton, Ohio, Coal Measures.
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