Osteology and phylogenetic position of the diminutive ‘ microsaur’ Odonterpeton triangulare from the Pennsylvanian of Linton, Ohio, and major features of recumbirostran phylogeny
Author
Mann, Arjan
Author
Pardo, Jason D
Author
Sues, Hans-Dieter
text
Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society
2023
2023-03-01
197
3
641
655
https://academic.oup.com/zoolinnean/article/197/3/641/6646571
journal article
10.1093/zoolinnean/zlac043
94ce56c4-b3c8-489b-aff0-accff1349430
0024-4082
7690904
ODONTERPETON TRIANGULARE
MOODIE, 1909
Holotype
:
USNM
PAL 4465 + 4467
, part and counterpart cannel coal blocks containing the anterior portion of a skeleton exposed in dorsal view (
USNM
PAL 4465
) and ventral view (
USNM
PAL 4467
) (
Figs 1
,
2
).
Type locality and horizon:
Abandoned coal mine operated originally by the
Ohio
Diamond Coal Company at Linton, Saline Township, Jefferson County, OH,
USA
(for details, see
Hook & Baird, 1986
). Local cannel coal is immediately below the Upper Freeport coal of the Allegheny Group. This horizon is dated as Middle Pennsylvanian (Moscovian).
ReƲised diagnosis:
Diminutive recumbirostran with the following distinctive combination of characters: 19 maxillary tooth positions; posterior maxillary teeth enlarged; lateral surface of maxilla bearing series of pits; undulating midline sutures between frontals and parietals; nasals small; short forelimbs; and autopodium with three digits and phalangeal count of 2-4-3. Shares the field of palatal teeth with pantylids and gymnarthrids. Shares with
Joermungandr
Mann
et al
., 2021
and brachystelechids large parietals. Shares with
Joermungandr
and at least
Diabloroter
Mann & Maddin, 2019
among brachystelechids the anterior position of the pineal foramen. Shares with
Joermungandr
oval, ornamented dermal scales, a short snout and the presence of a single splenial. Differs from
Joermungandr
in the absence of an anteriorly restricted tooth row, the greater number of teeth in the upper and lower dental arcade, the presence of a tabular, proportionally shorter nasals and the presence of a well-ossified forelimb and pectoral girdle.