Cranial osteology and systematics of the enigmatic early ‘sail-backed’ synapsid<i>Echinerpeton intermedium</i>Reisz, 1972, and a review of the earliest ‘pelycosaurs’

Mann, Arjan; Paterson, Ryan

doi:10.1080/14772019.2019.1648323

Cited by 10 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…The neural spine height is at least 7 cm tall, is 2.3 mm in width, increasing slightly in width distally before tapering again toward its distalmost tip. Overall, the morphology remains extremely thin, as in the type series (Reisz, 1972;Mann and Paterson, 2019). There is no centrum preserved.…”

Section: Comparative Anatomymentioning

confidence: 73%

“…Here we provide the earliest empirical evidence of NSH in tetrapods, particularly from new material of the early ophiacodontid synapsid Echinerpeton intermedium (Reisz, 1972;Mann and Paterson, 2019). Together, Echinerpeton and its contemporary ophiacodontid Archeothyris florensis, are the earliest definitive representations of the synapsid lineage (Mann and Paterson, 2019). Our new anatomical evidence reveals that the antiquity of NSH is closely linked to the initial radiation of synapsids during the Late Carboniferous.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 78%

“…There is no centrum preserved. This likely indicates that the neural arches are not fused to the centrum, suggesting that these remains likely belonged to an immature individual, but ontogenetically more advanced than the smaller holotype material of Echinerpeton (Reisz, 1972;Mann and Paterson, 2019). We estimate the neural spine to centrum ratio to be 13 times the height of the corresponding centrum, Romer and Price (1940) found that hyper-elongate spines in sphenacodontids were 18-25 times the height of the corresponding centrum.…”

Section: Comparative Anatomymentioning

confidence: 83%

“…The earliest amniotes to experiment with such morphology are the "pelycosaurian-grade" synapsids, like the Early Permian apex-predator Dimetrodon and the tall-spined early high-fiber herbivore Edaphosaurus (Huttenlocker et al, 2010(Huttenlocker et al, , 2011. Here we provide the earliest empirical evidence of NSH in tetrapods, particularly from new material of the early ophiacodontid synapsid Echinerpeton intermedium (Reisz, 1972;Mann and Paterson, 2019). Together, Echinerpeton and its contemporary ophiacodontid Archeothyris florensis, are the earliest definitive representations of the synapsid lineage (Mann and Paterson, 2019).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 83%

“…Prior to this study the vertebral column of Echinerpeton intermedium was relatively well known from the holotype and referred material (Reisz, 1972;Mann and Paterson, 2019).…”

Section: Comparative Anatomymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Antiquity of “Sail-Backed” Neural Spine Hyper-Elongation in Mammal Forerunners

Mann

Reisz

2020

Front. Earth Sci.

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Neural spine hyper-elongation in tetrapods is a unique morphological adaptation that creates a dorsal sail. While this extreme morphology has appeared several times in the evolutionary history of tetrapods, it was first experimented with by the nonmammalian synapsid paraphyletic group known as "Pelycosaurs," famously represented by the Permian apex predator Dimetrodon. Here we provide new fossil data tracing the evolution of this morphological innovation back to the initial Carboniferous radiation of the synapsid clade. We describe a new hyper-elongated neural spine belonging to the earliest ophiacodontid synapsid Echinerpeton intermedium, from the Pennsylvanianaged deposits of Florence, Nova Scotia. The new fossil unveils the rapid convergence and repeated evolution of the "dorsal sail" morphology in Synapsida. The development of this trait may have given early synapsids a unique advantage in their early radiation over the other early amniotes, the reptiles.

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Section: Comparative Anatomymentioning

confidence: 73%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 78%

Section: Comparative Anatomymentioning

confidence: 83%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 83%

“…Prior to this study the vertebral column of Echinerpeton intermedium was relatively well known from the holotype and referred material (Reisz, 1972;Mann and Paterson, 2019).…”

Section: Comparative Anatomymentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Antiquity of “Sail-Backed” Neural Spine Hyper-Elongation in Mammal Forerunners

Mann

Reisz

2020

Front. Earth Sci.

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A new Carboniferous edaphosaurid and the origin of herbivory in mammal forerunners

Mann

Henrici

Sues

et al. 2023

Sci Rep

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Herbivory evolved independently in several tetrapod lineages during the Late Carboniferous and became more widespread throughout the Permian Period, eventually leading to the basic structure of modern terrestrial ecosystems. Here we report a new taxon of edaphosaurid synapsid based on two fossils recovered from the Moscovian-age cannel coal of Linton, Ohio, which we interpret as an omnivore–low-fibre herbivore. Melanedaphodon hovaneci gen. et sp. nov. provides the earliest record of an edaphosaurid to date and is one of the oldest known synapsids. Using high-resolution X-ray micro-computed tomography, we provide a comprehensive description of the new taxon that reveals similarities between Late Carboniferous and early Permian (Cisuralian) members of Edaphosauridae. The presence of large bulbous, cusped, marginal teeth alongside a moderately-developed palatal battery, distinguishes Melanedaphodon from all other known species of Edaphosauridae and suggests adaptations for processing tough plant material already appeared among the earliest synapsids. Furthermore, we propose that durophagy may have provided an early pathway to exploit plant resources in terrestrial ecosystems.

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Predatory synapsid ecomorphology signals growing dynamism of late Palaeozoic terrestrial ecosystems

Singh,

Elsler,

Stubbs

et al. 2024

Commun Biol

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Terrestrial ecosystems evolved substantially through the Palaeozoic, especially the Permian, gaining much new complexity, especially among predators. Key among these predators were non-mammalian synapsids. Predator ecomorphology reflect interactions with prey and competitors, which are key controls on carnivore diversity and ecology. Therefore, carnivorous synapsids may offer insight on wider ecological evolution as the first complex, tetrapod-dominated, terrestrial ecosystems formed through the late Palaeozoic. Using morphometric and phylogenetic comparative methods, we chart carnivorous synapsid trophic morphology from the latest Carboniferous to the earliest Triassic (307-251.2 Ma). We find a major morphofunctional shift in synapsid carnivory between the early and middle Permian, via the addition of new feeding modes increasingly specialised for greater biting power or speed that captures the growing antagonism and dynamism of terrestrial tetrapod predator-prey interactions. The further evolution of new hypo- and hypercarnivorous synapsids highlight the nascent intrinsic pressures and complexification of terrestrial ecosystems across the mid-late Permian.

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Cranial osteology and systematics of the enigmatic early ‘sail-backed’ synapsidEchinerpeton intermediumReisz, 1972, and a review of the earliest ‘pelycosaurs’

Cited by 10 publications

References 22 publications

Antiquity of “Sail-Backed” Neural Spine Hyper-Elongation in Mammal Forerunners

Antiquity of “Sail-Backed” Neural Spine Hyper-Elongation in Mammal Forerunners

A new Carboniferous edaphosaurid and the origin of herbivory in mammal forerunners

Predatory synapsid ecomorphology signals growing dynamism of late Palaeozoic terrestrial ecosystems

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