Pholidogaster

Fol-e-do-gas-ter.
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Claire Morris

Marine Paleontologist

Claire Morris has dedicated her career to exploring the depths of prehistoric oceans. Her fascination with ancient marine life has led her to discover significant fossils that illuminate the evolution of early sea creatures.

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Name

Pholidogaster (Scaly Stomach).

Phonetic

Fol-e-do-gas-ter.

Named By

T.H. Huxley - 1862.

Classification

Chordata, Amphibia, Labyrinthodontia, Temnospondyli, Colosteidae.

Diet

Carnivore/piscivore.

Species

P. pisciformis

Size

1 meter long.

Known locations

Scotland.

Time Period

Vis�an to Serpukhovian of the Carboniferous.

Fossil representation

2 fossil remains.

In Depth

       Pholidogaster gets its name from scales that ran along its belly and has an overall morphology that it similar to Greererpeton. The legs are underdeveloped and unsuitable for a terrestrial lifestyle, and the tail is long and flattened for greater efficiency in the water. Pholidogaster also possessed fangs for seizing prey.

Further Reading

Further reading- On new labyrinthodonts from the Edinburgh coal-field. – Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society of London 18:291-296. – T. H. Huxley – 1862.

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT