The cranial morphology and relationships of the aberrant Carboniferous amphibian Spathicephalus mirus Watson
The cranial morphology and relationships of the aberrant Carboniferous amphibian Spathicephalus mirus Watson
复制标题
石炭纪两栖动物Spathicephalus mirus Watson的颅骨形态及关系
DOI：
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发表时间：
1998
期刊：
影响因子：
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通讯作者：
T. Smithson
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
E. H. Beaumont;T. Smithson
摘要 描述了 Spathicephalus mirus Watson 的头骨，它是一种来自苏格兰纳穆里亚基底上石炭统的两栖动物。它与 Loxommatidae 共享封闭的上颚、腭装饰和眶前空洞，并且 Spathicephalidae 科被认为是 Loxommatidae 的姐妹群。一种新的 Loxomatoidea 诊断与一种 Spathicephalidae 一起提出。对Spathicephalus头骨功能形态的分析表明，它无法快速闭合捕鱼所需的下颌。相反，有人认为斯巴头鲸是一种行动迟缓的底栖滤食性小型软无脊椎动物。
Abstract The skull of Spathicephalus mirus Watson, an amphibian from the Namurian, basal Upper Carboniferous, of Scotland is described. It shares with the Loxommatoidea a closed palate, palatal ornament and antorbital vacuities, and the family Spathicephalidae is recognized as the sister group of the Loxommatidae. A new diagnosis of the Loxommatoidea is presented together with one of the Spathicephalidae. An analysis of the functional morphology of the Spathicephalus skull suggests that it was incapable of rapid jaw closure required for catching fish. Instead it is proposed that Spathicephalus was a sluggish bottom-dwelling filter-feeder of small, soft invertebrates.