Tseajaia

See-hy-ah.
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Emily Green

Paleobotanist

Emily Green brings the ancient world of plants to life through her insightful research and engaging writing. Her expertise lies in examining how prehistoric vegetation influenced climate patterns and animal evolution.

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Name

Tseajaia ‭(‬Rock heart‭)‬.

Phonetic

See-hy-ah.

Named By

P.‭ ‬P.‭ ‬Vaughn‭ ‬-‭ ‬1964‭ ‬-‭ ‬1964.

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Reptiliomorpha,‭ ‬Diadectomorpha,‭ ‬Tseajaiidae.

Diet

Uncertain,‭ ‬possibly an omnivore or herbivore.

Species

T.‭ ‬campi‭

Size

About‭ ‬90‭ ‬centimetres long.

Known locations

USA,‭ ‬Utah‭ ‬-‭ ‬Cutler Formation.

Time Period

Sakmarian to the Roadian of the Permian.

Fossil representation

Single individual.

In Depth

       An otherwise unassuming little reptilomorph,‭ ‬the presence of Tseajaia in the earlier half of the Permian period is at least proof that some reptilomorphs made it this far in Earth’s history.‭ ‬The teeth of Tseajaia are notably blunt which has led to the idea that Tseajaia may have been slightly if not exclusively herbivorous.‭ ‬This is not that unusual as even though some reptilomorphs like Seymouria were carnivorous,‭ ‬others like Diadectes were herbivorous.

Further Reading

-‭ ‬Vertebrates from the Organ Rock Shale of the Cutler Group,‭ ‬Permian of Monument Valley and Vicinity,‭ ‬Utah and Arizona.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Journal of Paleontology,‭ ‬v.‭ ‬38,‭ ‬n.‭ ‬3,‭ ‬p.‭ ‬567-583.-‭ ‬P.‭ ‬P.‭ ‬Vaughn‭ ‬-‭ ‬1964. -‭ ‬The morphology and phylogenetic relationships of the Lower Permian tetrapod Tseajaia campi Vaughn‭ (‬Amphibia:‭ ‬Seymouriamorpha‭)‬.‭ ‬-‭ ‬University of California Publications in Geological Sciences,‭ ‬vol‭ ‬98,‭ ‬pp‭ ‬1-72.‭ ‬-‭ ‬J.‭ ‬L.‭ ‬Moss‭ ‬-‭ ‬1972.

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT