Functional morphology of the skull in Lysorophus: a snake-like Paleozoic amphibian (Lepospondyli)
Functional morphology of the skull in Lysorophus: a snake-like Paleozoic amphibian (Lepospondyli)
复制标题
溶蛇头骨的功能形态：一种类似蛇的古生代两栖动物（Lepospondyli）
作者：
J. Bolt;R. Wassersug
溶血虫是一种蛇形的、几乎没有四肢的古生代水生两栖动物，由索拉斯在1920年详细描述。虽然索拉斯没有讨论颅骨运动，但他最初的重建表明，对两栖动物来说，溶血龙的颅骨运动能力不同寻常。我们重新检查了溶血龙的头骨，发现即使有运动，也是轻微的。上颌骨、前上颌骨和后上颌骨可能在有限的伸展和收缩中移动，前上颌骨围绕它们与鼻的接触旋转。在泪-前额关节处，泪和上颌骨作为一个整体可能有小的中外侧运动。溶血龙的头骨显示出许多与穴居爬行动物（如两栖动物）头骨相似的特征。溶血龙的头骨从更原始的四足动物状态的改变似乎与在软基质中挖洞有关，而不是与运动本身有关。
Lysorophus, a serpentiform, nearly limbless, aquatic Paleozoic amphibian was described in detail by Sollas in 1920. Although Sollas did not discuss cranial kinesis, his original reconstructions suggest that Lysorophus had an unusually kinetic skull for an amphibian. We have reexamined the skull of Lysorophus and find that kinesis, if present, was slight. The maxillae, premaxillae, and vomers might have moved in limited protraction and retraction, with the premaxillae rotating about their contacts with the nasals. There is a possibility of small medio-lateral movements of the lacrimal and maxilla as a unit at the lacrimal-prefrontal joint. The skull of Lysorophus shows many features convergent with the skulls of burrowing reptiles, such as amphisbaenians. Modifications in the skull of Lysorophus from a more primitive tetrapod condition seem associated with burrowng in a soft substratum rather than with kinesis per se.