Altenglanerpeton
|
Altenglanerpeton Temporal range: Late Carboniferous or Early Permian, 299 Ma |
|
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Subclass: | †Lepospondyli |
| Order: | †"Microsauria" |
| Clade: | †Recumbirostra |
| Genus: |
†Altenglanerpeton Glienke, 2012 |
| Type species | |
|
†Altenglanerpeton schroederi Glienke, 2012 |
|
Altenglanerpeton is an extinct genus of microsaur amphibian from the Late Carboniferous or Early Permian of Germany.Altenglanerpeton was named in 2012 after the Altenglan Formation in which it was found. The type and only species is A.. schroederi.
Altenglanerpeton is known from a single partial skeleton from an outcrop of the Altenglan Formation, which is part of the Saar–Nahe Basin. The Altenglan Formation dates back to the Carboniferous-Permian transition, about 299 million years ago. The skeleton was discovered sometime in the 1870s in the village of Werschweiler, and was first described by German paleontologist Eckart Schröder in 1939. Schröder tentatively assigned the specimen to the microsaur Microbrachis, although its classification as a microsaur was questioned in later years.
The holotype skeleton includes a crushed skull preserved in dorsal or top view, and a straight length of vertebrae and associated ribs that are poorly preserved. The forelimbs and parts of the pectoral girdle are also preserved. The hind limbs and tail are missing. Altenglanerpeton has a robust skull with small, widely spaced eye sockets. The skull appears triangular from above as well as from the side, since it has a narrow and pointed snout. One distinguishing feature of Altenglanerpeton is the extension of the jugal bones far in front of the eye sockets. Unlike many other microsaurs, Altenglanerpeton lacks a network of lateral line grooves across its skull. Altenglanerpeton has an elongated body with around 30 simple spool-shaped vertebrae and small, poorly developed limbs. It is similar in appearance to the ostodolepids Micraroter and Pelodosotis, both of which have long bodies and tiny limbs.
...
Wikipedia