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Coelurosauravus
''Coelurosauravus'' (meaning "hollow lizard grandfather") is a genus of basal diapsid reptiles, known from the Late Permian of Madagascar. Like other members of the family Weigeltisauridae, members of this genus possessed long, rod-like ossifications projecting outwards from the body. These bony rods were not extensions of the ribs but were instead newly developed bones derived from the skin of the animal, a feature unique to weigeltisaurids. It is believed that during life, these structures formed folding wings used for gliding flight, similar to living gliding ''Draco'' lizards. ''Coelurosauravus'' is solely known from the type species, ''C. elivensis'', which was named by Jean Piveteau in 1926 based on fossils from the Lower Sakamena Formation of Madagascar. The species ''Weigeltisaurus jaekeli'' from Europe was formerly considered a species of ''Coelurosauravus'', but is now considered distinct. History of discovery The only known specimens of ''Coelurosauravus'' were coll ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Weigeltisaurus Reconstruction
''Weigeltisaurus'' is an extinct genus of weigeltisaurid reptile from the Late Permian Kupferschiefer of Germany and Marl Slate of England. It has a single species, originally named as ''Palaechamaeleo jaekeli'' in 1930 and later assigned the name ''Weigeltisaurus jaekeli'' in 1939, when it was revealed that ''Palaeochamaeleo'' was a preoccupied name. A 1987 review by Evans and Haubold later lumped ''Weigeltisaurus jaekeli'' under ''Coelurosauravus'' as a second species of that genus. A 2015 reassessment of skull morphology study substantiated the validity of ''Weigeltisaurus'' and subsequent authors have used this genus. Like other Weigeltisaurids, they possessed long rod-like bones that radiated from the trunk that were likely used to support membranes used for gliding, similar to extant ''Draco'' lizards. History of discovery The first remains of ''Weigeltisaurus jaekeli'' were described by Johannes Weigelt in 1930 from a specimen (SSWG 113/7) found in the Kupferschiefer ne ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Weigeltisaurus Jaekeli
''Weigeltisaurus'' is an extinct genus of weigeltisaurid reptile from the Late Permian Kupferschiefer of Germany and Marl Slate of England. It has a single species, originally named as ''Palaechamaeleo jaekeli'' in 1930 and later assigned the name ''Weigeltisaurus jaekeli'' in 1939, when it was revealed that ''Palaeochamaeleo'' was a preoccupied name. A 1987 review by Evans and Haubold later lumped ''Weigeltisaurus jaekeli'' under ''Coelurosauravus'' as a second species of that genus. A 2015 reassessment of skull morphology study substantiated the validity of ''Weigeltisaurus'' and subsequent authors have used this genus. Like other Weigeltisaurids, they possessed long rod-like bones that radiated from the trunk that were likely used to support membranes used for gliding, similar to extant ''Draco'' lizards. History of discovery The first remains of ''Weigeltisaurus jaekeli'' were described by Johannes Weigelt in 1930 from a specimen (SSWG 113/7) found in the Kupferschiefer ne ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Weigeltisaurus
''Weigeltisaurus'' is an extinct genus of weigeltisaurid reptile from the Late Permian Kupferschiefer of Germany and Marl Slate of England. It has a single species, originally named as ''Palaechamaeleo jaekeli'' in 1930 and later assigned the name ''Weigeltisaurus jaekeli'' in 1939, when it was revealed that ''Palaeochamaeleo'' was a preoccupied name. A 1987 review by Evans and Haubold later lumped ''Weigeltisaurus jaekeli'' under ''Coelurosauravus'' as a second species of that genus. A 2015 reassessment of skull morphology study substantiated the validity of ''Weigeltisaurus'' and subsequent authors have used this genus. Like other Weigeltisaurids, they possessed long rod-like bones that radiated from the trunk that were likely used to support membranes used for gliding, similar to extant ''Draco'' lizards. History of discovery The first remains of ''Weigeltisaurus jaekeli'' were described by Johannes Weigelt in 1930 from a specimen (SSWG 113/7) found in the Kupferschiefer ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Weigeltisauridae
Weigeltisauridae is a family of gliding neodiapsid reptiles that lived during the Late Permian, between 258 and 252 million years ago. Fossils of weigeltisaurids have been found in Madagascar, Germany, Great Britain, and Russia. A possible weigeltisaurid, '' Wapitisaurus'', been found in Early Triassic strata in North America, but its poor preservation makes referral to the group questionable. They are characterized by long, hollow rod-shaped bones extending from the torso that probably supported wing-like membranes. Similar membranes are also found in several other extinct reptiles such as kuehneosaurids and ''Mecistotrachelos'', as well as living gliding lizards, although each group evolved these structures independently. Skeleton The skulls and jaws of weigeltisaurids are ornamented with horns and tubercles, including chameleon-like frills. The torso and limbs are slender. The skeletons of weigeltisaurds are lightened by large air spaces (skeletal pneumaticity) within the bone ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Sakamena Formation
Sakamena is a village near Betroka in the region of Anosy in Madagascar. Sakamena is also the name of a Permian sedimentary geological formation that has yielded many vertebrate fossil, including Triadobatrachus (the first lissamphibian), Claudiosaurus, one of the first aquatic reptiles, and the Coelurosauravus, the first gliding reptile. Sakamena is also the name of a coal field that lies near the Sakoa coal field. Both the Sakamena and Sakoa coal fields are under appraisal and development by Madagascar Consolidated Mining, a subsidiary of Red Island Minerals Red Island Minerals Ltd (RIM) is a Perth Western Australia-based coal development company operating in Madagascar. The company is wholly owned by PTT Asia Pacific Mining Pty Ltd, a subsidiary of PTT Public Company Limited, a state-owned Thailand, ..., a company founded by Sam Malin. Other coal fields adjacent to the Sakamena region include the Ianapera, Imaloto and Vohibory fields. References Wild Madagascar Populated ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Glaurung (reptile)
''Glaurung'' is an extinct genus of weigeltisaurid reptile from the Upper Permian of Germany. The only known species is ''Glaurung schneideri''. Originally considered a specimen of ''Coelurosauravus'', a later study named it as a new genus after noting that it had several unique characteristics relative to other weigeltisaurids. These characteristics included a low skull, small eyes, smooth parietal and squamosal bones, and spiny jugal bones. Discovery ''Glaurung schneideri'' is known from a slab and counterslab discovered in 2002 by fossil collector Thomas Schneider. It was found in Late Permian Kupferschiefer sediments near Mansfeld, Germany. Although the original specimen remains in Schneider's private collection, there are several casts in European museums, such as MBR 3610 (stored at the Museum fur Naturkunde in Berlin) and PIN 5392/1 (stored at the Paleontological Institute in Moscow). The specimen consists of a flattened skull as well as material from the pectoral g ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Diapsid
Diapsids ("two arches") are a clade of sauropsids, distinguished from more primitive eureptiles by the presence of two holes, known as temporal fenestrae, in each side of their skulls. The group first appeared about three hundred million years ago during the late Carboniferous period. All diapsids other than the most primitive ones in the clade Araeoscelidia are sometimes placed into the clade Neodiapsida. The diapsids are extremely diverse, and include birds and all modern reptile groups, including turtles, which were historically thought to lie outside the group. Although some diapsids have lost either one hole (lizards), or both holes (snakes and turtles), or have a heavily restructured skull (modern birds), they are still classified as diapsids based on their ancestry. At least 17,084 species of diapsid animals are extant: 9,159 birds, and 7,925 snakes, lizards, tuatara, turtles, and crocodiles. Characteristics The name Diapsida means "two arches", and diapsids are tradition ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Phalanx Bone
The phalanges (singular: ''phalanx'' ) are digital bones in the hands and feet of most vertebrates. In primates, the thumbs and big toes have two phalanges while the other digits have three phalanges. The phalanges are classed as long bones. Structure The phalanges are the bones that make up the fingers of the hand and the toes of the foot. There are 56 phalanges in the human body, with fourteen on each hand and foot. Three phalanges are present on each finger and toe, with the exception of the thumb and large toe, which possess only two. The middle and far phalanges of the fifth toes are often fused together (symphalangism). The phalanges of the hand are commonly known as the finger bones. The phalanges of the foot differ from the hand in that they are often shorter and more compressed, especially in the proximal phalanges, those closest to the torso. A phalanx is named according to whether it is proximal, middle, or distal and its associated finger or toe. The proximal ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ungual
An ungual (from Latin ''unguis'', i.e. ''nail'') is a highly modified distal toe bone which ends in a hoof, claw, or nail. Elephants and ungulates have ungual phalanges, as did the sauropods and horned dinosaurs. A claw is a highly modified ungual phalanx. As an adjective, ungual means ''related to nail Nail or Nails may refer to: In biology * Nail (anatomy), toughened protective protein-keratin (known as alpha-keratin, also found in hair) at the end of an animal digit, such as fingernail * Nail (beak), a plate of hard horny tissue at the tip ...'', as in ''periungual'' (around the nail). References External links Mammal anatomy {{animal-anatomy-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Claw
A claw is a curved, pointed appendage found at the end of a toe or finger in most amniotes (mammals, reptiles, birds). Some invertebrates such as beetles and spiders have somewhat similar fine, hooked structures at the end of the leg or tarsus for gripping a surface as they walk. The pincers of crabs, lobsters and scorpions, more formally known as their chelae, are sometimes called claws. A true claw is made of a hard protein called keratin. Claws are used to catch and hold prey in carnivorous mammals such as cats and dogs, but may also be used for such purposes as digging, climbing trees, self-defense and grooming, in those and other species. Similar appendages that are flat and do not come to a sharp point are called nails instead. Claw-like projections that do not form at the end of digits but spring from other parts of the foot are properly named spurs. Tetrapods In tetrapods, claws are made of keratin and consist of two layers. The unguis is the harder external layer, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lopingian
The Lopingian is the uppermost series/last epoch of the Permian. It is the last epoch of the Paleozoic. The Lopingian was preceded by the Guadalupian and followed by the Early Triassic. The Lopingian is often synonymous with the informal terms late Permian or upper Permian. The name was introduced by Amadeus William Grabau in 1931 and derives from Leping, Jiangxi in China. It consists of two stages/ ages. The earlier is the Wuchiapingian and the later is the Changhsingian. The International Chronostratigraphic Chart (v2018/07) provides a numerical age of 259.1 ±0.5 Ma. If a Global Boundary Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) has been approved, the lower boundary of the earliest stage determines numerical age of an epoch. The GSSP for the Wuchiapingian has a numerical age of 259.8 ± 0.4 Ma. Evidence from Milankovitch cycles suggests that the length of an Earth day during this epoch was approximately 22 hours. The Lopingian ended with the Permian–Triassic extinction event. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Arboreal Locomotion
Arboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some animals may scale trees only occasionally, but others are exclusively arboreal. The habitats pose numerous mechanical challenges to animals moving through them and lead to a variety of anatomical, behavioral and ecological consequences as well as variations throughout different species.Cartmill, M. (1985). Climbing. In ''Functional Vertebrate Morphology'', eds. M. Hildebrand D. M. Bramble K. F. Liem and D. B. Wake, pp. 73–88. Cambridge: Belknap Press. Furthermore, many of these same principles may be applied to climbing without trees, such as on rock piles or mountains. Some animals are exclusively arboreal in habitat, such as the tree snail. Biomechanics Arboreal habitats pose numerous mechanical challenges to animals moving in them, which have been solved in diverse ways. These challenges include moving on narrow branches, mov ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
