Scaloposaurian reptiles from the Triassic of Antarctica. American Museum novitates

• Main Authors: Colbert, Edwin Harris, 1905-, Kitching, James William.
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: New York, N.Y. : American Museum of Natural History 1981
• Subjects: QL1 .A436 no.2709; 1981; Scaloposauridae; Reptiles; Fossil > Antarctica; Paleontology > Triassic > Antarctica; Paleontology > Antarctica; Austral; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2246/5362

22 p. : ill. 26 cm. Includes bibliographical references (p. 21-22). "Among the theriodont reptiles discovered in the Lower Triassic Fremouw Formation of Antarctica during the austral summer of 1970-1971, are several scaloposaurian skulls, jaws, and parts of postcranial skeletons. Of particular significance are an associated mandibular ramus and pterygoids, as well as the hind limbs of a second specimen, all identified as Ericiolacerta parva, the type of which comes from the Lystrosaurus zone of the Karoo sequence of South Africa. In addition, two new genera and species are described: Pedaeosaurus parvus amd Rhigosaurus glacialis, the former a very small scaloposaurid rather similar to Ericiolacerta, but with a flat skull roof pierced by a pineal foramen and with numerous simple teeth; the latter a comparatively robust form (although small in size) lacking a pineal foramen, with a strong jugal arch, a rather heavy dentary, and enlarged canines followed by a limited number of simple, pointed postcanine teeth. A small maxilla with an associated dentary is included in this paper, although its identity as a scaloposaurian theriodont cannot be verified. It is therefore designated as Theriodontia, incertae sedis. As in the case of previously described tetrapods from the Fremouw Formation, the scaloposaurians show some close resemblances with, and some differences from, fossils in the Lystrosaurus zone fauna of Africa. This is to be expected among two assemblages that had terrestrial connections, yet at the same time were separated by a distance of perhaps 1500 km"--P. [1].