| Dendrerpeton Fossil range: Late Carboniferous | |
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| Scientific classification
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Dendrerpeton | |
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Dendrerpeton is an extinct genus of amphibian. They are generally found associated with hollows of the Lepidodendron and Sigillaria tree genera, for which their fossils are contained within. These fossils are disarticulated and flattened providing poor specimens. In this species the stapes was used as a support structure for the ear than for hearing as in later tetropods.
The specimens are generally 100 cm, large otic notch in the back of the skull.
History of discovery[]
The majority of Dendrerpeton fossils that had been discovered were disarticulated due to the way in which they had formed. They are often associated with Lycopod, Sigillaria, and Calamite tree stumps which decayed inside and became hollow, and are found in Parrsboro formation and the Joggins formation in Nova Scotia. There is also evidence for articulated specimen in Ireland at the Jarrow Colliery. However, they were found to be enveloped by substance that had a very low pH. Although not all specimen were equally affected and some proved very beneficial, many were not well preserved because of this pH. In general, many of the fossils are found in the trunks of these trees or coal swamps.
In 1861 one of the first skeleton of Dendrerpeton acadianum almost in its entirety was discovered by J.W. Dawson at the South of Joggins, Nova Scotia. It was part of the trunk of a tree, and likely this trunk in which the animal had been was about 4 feet deep. The skeleton however remained because the bark was preserved due to coal that was bituminous. In 1998 came the first skeleton of Dendrerpeton acadianum that was nearly completely articulated again from the Joggins of Nova Scotia. It was essentially undisturbed, and in this case was not associated with a tree but instead with a boulder found at a beach. This specimen provided the opportunity for a deeper understanding of the skeleton of this taxa because of its three dimensionality and the detail preserved.
Description[]
References[]
- Holmes, R. B., Carroll, R. L. & Reisz, R. R. 1998. The first articulated skeleton of Dendrerpeton acadianum (Temnospondyli, Dendrerpetontidae) from the lower Pennsylvanian locality of Joggins, Nova Scotia, and a review of its relationships. Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 18, 64-79.
- Milner A. R. (1980) The temnospondyl amphibian Dendrerpeton from the Upper Carboniferous of Ireland. Palaeontology 23 125–141
- Robinson, J., Ahlberg, P. E. & Koentges, G. 2005. The braincase and middle ear region of Dendrerpeton acadianum (Tetrapoda: Temnospondyli). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 143, 577-597.