Adelospondylus

Ah-del-o-spon-dy-lus.
Published on

Benjamin Gutierrez

Vertebrate Paleontologist

Benjamin Gutierrez is a leading expert on dinosaurs, particularly the mighty theropods. His fieldwork in South America has uncovered new species and provided insights into dinosaur social structures.

Cite Feedback Print

Name

Adelospondylus ‭(‬Obscure vertebra‭)‬.

Phonetic

Ah-del-o-spon-dy-lus.

Named By

R.‭ ‬L.‭ ‬Carroll‭ ‬-‭ ‬1967.

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Amphibia,‭ ‬Lepospondyli,‭ ‬Adelospondyli,‭ ‬Adelogyrinidae.

Diet

Insectivore‭?

Species

A.‭ ‬watsoni‭

Size

Uncertain,‭ ‬but skull is‭ ‬5‭ ‬centimetres long.

Known locations

Scotland.

Time Period

Serpukhovian of the Carboniferous.

Fossil representation

Single skull and mandibles‭ (‬lower jaws‭)‬.

In Depth

       Another small amphibian from the Carboniferous period of Scotland,‭ ‬Adelospondylus is only known by a skull and jaws.‭ ‬The lower jaw is noted as being quite deep,‭ ‬but is otherwise not greatly special.‭ ‬Adelospondylus may have been similar to Adelogyrinus.

Further Reading

-‭ ‬An Adelogyrinid Lepospondyl Amphibian from the Upper Carboniferous,‭ ‬R.‭ ‬L.‭ ‬Carroll‭ ‬-‭ ‬1967. – The Order Adelospondyli: Carboniferous lepospondyl amphibians. – Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. 82 (3): 239–275. – S. M. Andrews & R. L. Carroll – 1991.

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT