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
The openings of the skull are five the two orbits, the two minute
nostrils, and the pineal foramen. A median suture separates the skull
into halves and the pineal foramen lies slightly anterior to the
posterior third of its length. The boundaries of the premaxillæ are not
distinct, but they are very small elements and form the inner border of
the nostrils, which are clearly indicated by bosses of stone. The nasal
element is nearly square and lies anterior to the frontal, which it
borders broadly. The parietal is about the same size as the frontal and it
apparently forms a portion of the inner border of the orbit, although this
is not assured. The parietal is elongate and unites posteriorly with the
postparietal. The postparietal, with the tabulare and the squamosal, form
the posterior boundary of the skull, and they are hence not unlike the
same elements in other Stegocephala. The pref rental forms the anterior
border of the orbit. The lacrimal has not been detected. The maxilla
is elongate and forms the antero-lateral border of the skull. The jugal
forms an important element in the lateral border of the cranium and joins
the quadratojugal posteriorly. The postfrontal is triangular and with the
postorbital forms the posterior border of the orbit. Both of the elements
are acuminate posteriorly, although the suture between them is indistinct,
and they inclose between their posterior acuminations an anterior
projection of the supratemporal. The squamosal has the usual relations and
borders the supratemporal laterally. The latter element forms the quadrate
angle of the cranium.
The entire length of the vertebral column is preserved, although
the nature and structure of its elements can not be determined. The
impressions of a few of the vertebræ show that some of the centra were
amphicœlous, but other than this nothing is definite. The cavities which
the centra occupied were filled by the white mineral matter and the force
of the blow which cracked the nodule destroyed the form of the mold. It is
possible that where the mineral matter has filled the cavities the centra
were osseous or partly cartilaginous, and where the cavities were unfilled
the centra were entirely cartilaginous. The length of the vertebral column
from the base of the skull to the last impression of a cartilaginous
centrum is 33 mm.
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