Ambedus
Ambedus Temporal range:
Early Permian , | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Order: | †Diadectomorpha |
Family: | †Diadectidae |
Genus: | †Ambedus Kissel and Reisz, 2004 |
Species | |
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Ambedus is an extinct
Description
Ambedus is a small tetrapod, possible Diadectid, known only from
Phylogeny
David Berman's 2013 paper argued against the inclusion of Ambedus in Diadectidae. He stated in his paper that its assignment to Diadectidae is based only on several isolated maxillae and dentaries containing cheek teeth that only exhibited a resemblance in their molar-like morphology to those in Diadectids. There are also a number of other characteristics that distinguish Ambedus from all other Diadectids, such as a shallow rather than deep deep dentary, and relatively high maxillary and dentary tooth counts, among other characteristics that distinguish them from Diadectids. Furthermore, the appearance of Ambedus pusillus so late in the fossil record, after all known Diadectomorphs have died out,also casts a doubt on the fact that it is supposed to represent the basalmost member of the Diadectid lineage. In contrast, the first Diadectids from the Upper Pennsylvanian were way more developed and had the characteristic dentary and maxillary features of the Diadectid lineage. This implicates that there should be a ghost lineage that goes back all the way back to the Middle Pennsylvanian, which is highly unlikely according to Berman.[2]
Paleobiology
The
References
- ^ a b Kissel, R.A.; Reisz, R.R. (2004). "Ambedus pusillus, new genus, new species, a small diadectid (Tetrapoda: Diadectomorpha) from the Lower Permian of Ohio, with a consideration of diadectomorph phylogeny". Annals of the Carnegie Museum. 71: 197–212.
- ^ Berman, David S (2013). "DIADECTOMORPHS,AMNIOTES OR NOT?". New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science (60): 22.