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Lysorophia
Lysorophia is an order of fossorial Carboniferous and Permian tetrapods within the Recumbirostra. Lysorophians resembled small snakes, as their bodies are extremely elongate. There is a single family, the Molgophidae (previously known as Lysorophidae). Currently there are around five genera included within Lysorophia, although many may not be valid. Description The skull is heavily built but with large lateral openings to accommodate jaw musculature, with small orbits restricted to the anterior edge of the large fenestrae. The intertemporal, supratemporal, postfrontal, and jugal bones of the skull have disappeared. The mandibles are short and robust with a small number of large triangular teeth. Although it was initially thought that the maxilla and premaxilla were freely movable, detailed anatomical studies show that this is not the case. The braincase is extremely robust, suggesting that lysorophians engaged in headfirst burrowing. The torso is very elongate, the limb ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Infernovenator
''Infernovenator'' is a genus of Carboniferous Lysorophia, lysorophian Recumbirostra, recumbirostran from the Mazon Creek fossil beds, Mazon Creek lagerstätte in Illinois, U.S. It was described in 2019. History of study The holotype, now reposited at the Field Museum of Natural History, Field Museum, was previously described by Godfrey (1997) as an aïstopod, ''Phlegethontia longissama''. Redescription of the specimen led to its identification as a new lysorophian taxon. ''Infernovenator'' is represented only by the holotype, a nearly complete skeleton. The genus name is given for the Latin ''infernum'' ("hell") to refer to the fossorial habitats of the taxon and ''venator'' ("hunter"). The species name honors paleontologist Margaret Clair Steen Brough. Anatomy ''Infernovenator'' is diagnosed by a unique combination of features: (1) 61 presacral vertebrae; (2) a triangular postfrontal that contacts the tabular; (3) a circumorbital series formed by the prefrontal, the postfro ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
