Aïstopoda

Aïstopoda
Oestocephalus amphiuminus
Temporal occurrence
Carboniferous to Lower Permian
318.1 to 272.5 million years
Locations
Europe North America
Systematics
Chordates (chordata) Vertebrates (vertebrata) Land vertebrates (Tetrapoda) Lepospondyli Aïstopoda
Scientific name
Aïstopoda
Miall , 1875

The Aïstopoda are a fossil taxon of legless land vertebrates . They are in the group of Hüllenwirbler classified (lepospondyli) and lived during the early Carboniferous to the early Permian in Europe and North America. The best known representatives were Ophiderpeton and Phlegetonia .

features

The Aïstopoda were legless lepospondyles , a group of amphibian-like terrestrial vertebrates that are likely a basal branch in the trunk group of the Amniota . They reached a body length of 5 to 100 centimeters and resembled small snakes in their way of life and their appearance. The body was elongated and had up to 230 vertebrae while the tail was very short. The head was characterized by the loss and amalgamation of numerous bones in the snout, neck and top of the skull. This made the skull very mobile and the jaws could be opened wide.

Systematics

The origin and phylogenetic relationship of the Aïstopoda has not yet been fully clarified. Usually they are combined with the Adelospondyli , which also live in the Carboniferous, to form a taxon, which is the sister group of all other Lepospondyls.

• Aïstopoda
  • Lethiscus
  • Ophiderpeton
  • Pseudophlegethontia
  • Oestocephalidae
    • Coloraderpeton
    • Oestocephalus
  • Phlegethontiidae
    • Dolichosoma
    • Phlegethontia
    • Sillerpeton

literature

• Robert L. Carroll: Paleontology and Evolution of the Vertebrates , Thieme, Stuttgart (1993), ISBN 3-13-774401-6

Web links

Commons : Aistopoda  - collection of images, videos and audio files

• Oberseminar Lepospondylia (PDF; 1.94 MB)
• Mikko's Phylogeny Archive Aistopoda