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
This species was first described by Newberry as a fish belonging to the
genus _Pygopterus_. Cope later placed it under the genus _Colosteus_
and clearly showed its amphibian characters. The genus _Colosteus_ was,
however, based on a misconception. Cope in 1897 and Hay (317) referred
the species to _Sauropleura_, where it is retained. The species is
represented by a single individual preserved on a block of coal from
Linton, and is also indicated by an interclavicle and its obverse; this
element is of larger size than that of the type and was referred by Cope
to _Colosteus pauciradiatus_. The characters of the plate are, however, so
identical with those of the interclavicle in the type specimen that it is
unhesitatingly referred to the present form.
The type specimen consists of the supero-lateral view of a crushed cranium
with the anterior part of the body, exhibiting the interclavicle and the
ventral scutellation. No limbs have been observed in this species. The
mandibles are crushed across the cranium in such a way as to obscure its
structure. The boundary of the left orbit is doubtfully determined as
being a little back of the median line of the skull. There are small teeth
present on the mandibles, but their number can not be determined. The
cranial elements are sculptured with radiating grooves and ridges, but
these are weakly developed. The snout is broad and but little narrower
than the base of the skull. (Plate 21, fig. 5.)
The interclavicle, somewhat displaced, is the only element of the
pectoral girdle preserved. It is peculiar in the possession of a backward
extension which shows a beveled edge. The plate is ornamented by radiating
grooves and ridges which are strongly developed. The larger specimen of
an interclavicle shows the same characters as the one described, and it
differs only in being about twice as large. There are no traces of limbs.
The ventral armature of the body is rather weak as compared to that of
_Sauropleura pauciradiatus_, but it is still composed of closely packed
scutes arranged _en chevron_. The character of the ventral armature and
the sculpturing of the interclavicle are taken as the principal specific
characters. From the other species of the genus the present form differs
in its more slender elements of the ventral armor and in the form of the
skull. The ribs are not clearly defined.
Measurements.
mm.
Median length of skull 70
Posterior width of skull 40
Anterior width of skull 20
Length of jaw 50
Anterior width of jaw 7
Posterior width of jaw 12
Length of mandibular tooth 1.5
Length of entire specimen 150
Width across belly, maximum 47
Length of interclavicle 27
Width of interclavicle 13
Width across posterior extension 4
=Sauropleura digitata Cope.=
Cope, Proc. Phila. Acad. Nat. Sci., p. 216, 1868.
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