The First Stem Tetrapod from the Lower Carboniferous of Gondwana

Authors: Warren A.¹; Turner S.²

Source: Palaeontology, Volume 47, Number 1, January 2004 , pp. 151-184(34)

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Abstract:

The first stem tetrapod from Gondwana, Ossinodus pueri gen. et sp. nov, is described from fragmentary material that includes a skull table and many important parts from the postcranial skeleton. It was recovered together with a typically non-marine to marginal (near) marine fish fauna from the Lower Carboniferous (mid Viséan) Ducabrook Formation, Queensland, Australia. Phylogenetic analysis hypothesises that Ossinodus belonged to a clade that includes Whatcheeria and Pederpes, positioned on the stem of the crown tetrapods, one step crownward of Tulerpeton. Hind limb morphology suggests that small specimens of Ossinodus were primarily aquatic but that larger ones were less so.

Keywords: stem tetrapod; Lower Carboniferous; Gondwana; Australia; phylogeny; terrestrialisation; Whatcheeriidae

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.0031-0239.2004.00353.x

Affiliations: 1: Department of Zoology, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 2: Queensland Museum, Queensland, Australia

Publication date: 2004-01-01