Vert Zoology Exam 3

Front 1

Osteolopimorpha

Back 1

The beginning of the transitition from water to land; lobe finned fishes with pectoral fins to prop themselves out of the water

Front 2

Panderichthyes

Back 2

Next step in transition from land to water; Larger pectoral fins, used land more, attack and grasp feeders

Front 3

Icthyostega

Back 3

Originally thought to be best transitional fossils; limbs, tetrapod, larger bones and muscles, larger jaw that can't be closed fully

Front 4

Acanthostega

Back 4

Originally thought to be the best transitional fossils; limbed, more streamline, webbed feet, large caudal fin on tail

Front 5

Tiktaalik

Back 5

Missing link between fish and amphibians, 375 MYA, wide flattened skull inefficient for aquatic feeding, pectoral fins show signs of a beginning elbow

Front 6

Ventostega curonica

Back 6

365 MYA, discovered in Latvia, earliest known true tetrapod

Front 7

Trackway in Poland

Back 7

Fossil tracks of footsteps, tetrapod gait, digits and limbs, 397 MYA

Front 8

Lepospondyl

Back 8

Early amphibians; snake like; some with limbs, some without; small; terrestrial, aquatic, or semiaquatic

Front 9

Lepospondyl microsauria

Back 9

Lepospondyl; possibly oldest caecilian fossil, robust skull, 200 MYA

Front 10

Temnospondyl

Back 10

300 MYA; 6 ft long, 300-400 lbs; spent most time on land; not very mobile; flattened skulls; became mostly aquatic 200 MYA - crocodile like, 10-20 ft long, dorso-ventrally flattened tails, tiny limbs

Front 11

Prionosuchus plummeri

Back 11

Temnospondyl; 270-250 MYA; crocodile like; aquatic; 20-30 ft long; largest known amphibian

Front 12

Gerobatrachus

Back 12

290 MYA; temnospondyl; frogamander; oldest common ancestor to Anura and Urodela; 4 digits on forelegs; flattened skulls

Front 13

Triadobatrachus

Back 13

Temnospondyl; 250 MYA; oldest Anura fossil

Front 14

Beelzebufo

Back 14

Temnospondyl; biggest frog; 70 MYA; 1.5 ft long, 10 lbs

Front 15

Karaurus

Back 15

Temnospondyl; oldest Urodela fossil; 150 MYA