Cranial Structure of 308-Million-Year-Old Limbed Vertebrate Recreated

Scientists have successfully recreated the cranial structure of an ancient lizard-like vertebrate that is the earliest example of a reptile.

 In the new study, paleontologists have reconstructed the cranial structure of a long extinct limbed vertebrate that lived 308 million years ago. This limbed vertebrate is the earliest example of the reptile and throws light on the origin of vertebrates that belong to reptiles, birds and mammals.

The experts, who studied additional specimens unavailable in previous works, were from the Comenius University in Bratislava (Slovakia), University Museum of Zoology in Cambridge, The Natural History Museum in London, and the University of Lincoln, UK.

Led by Dr. Marcello Ruta from the School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, the team produced several complex hand-drawn recreations of the cranial structure of an early tetrapod.

According to Daily Mail, the main aim of the team was to offer an analysis into early tetrapod relationship incorporating the new observations of Gephyrostegus, the small lizard-like animals with several small pointed teeth and large eyes. They measure just 22 cm in length.

Ruta explained: "Gephyrostegus has always been an elusive beast. Several researchers have long considered the possibility that the superficially reptile-like features of this animal might tell us something about amniote ancestry. But Gephyrostegus also shows some much generalised skeletal features that make the issue of its origin even more problematic."

The analysis was made on the basis of using skeletal traits across a sample of early tetrapod groups to identify the similarities of Geophyrostegus.

The specimen, initially unrecognized, was unearthed from coal deposits from the Czech Republic. The researchers believe that this long extinct tetrapod may stand as an early example of reptile and helps understand the origin of amniotes, the vertebrates that belong to reptiles, birds and mammals.

"We conducted a new study that brings together data from a large number of early tetrapods. The study shows that Gephyrostegus is closely related to another group of Eurasiatic and North American tetrapods called seymouriamorphs, also involved in debates about amniote ancestry. We found some interesting new cranial features in Gephyrostegusthat helped us establish this link," said Dr. Ruta.

The finding was documented in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.