Discosauriscus
Extinct genus of reptile-like amphibians
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Discosauriscus was a small seymouriamorph[1] which lived in what is now Central and Western Europe during the latest Carboniferous[2] and in the Early Permian Period. Its best fossils have been found in the Broumov and Bačov Formations of Boskovice Furrow, in the Czech Republic.
| Discosauriscus Temporal range: | |
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| Discosauriscus austriacus | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Order: | †Seymouriamorpha |
| Family: | †Discosauriscidae |
| Genus: | †Discosauriscus Kuhn, 1933 |
| Species | |
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| Synonyms | |
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Classification
Discosauriscus belongs to the order Seymouriamorpha, and is the type genus of the family Discosauriscidae. Currently recognised are two valid species - Discosauriscus austriacus and Discosauriscus pulcherrimus. Letoverpeton is a junior synonym of Discosauriscus.[3]
Characteristics
Discosauriscids were long thought to be known from larval or neotenic forms,[4] and three ontogenetic stages had been distinguished.[5] However, more recent studies concluded that some subadult, probably terrestrial specimens were known,[6][7] so the case for neoteny in this taxon is not as well-supported as once thought. Discosauriscus had wide jaws with sharp teeth, short limbs and relatively long tail.[8] The phalangeal formula was 2-3-4-5-3 for both hind- and forelimbs. The body was covered with rounded scales with concentric rings, and a well-preserved lateral-line system has been described.[5]
Discosauriscus may have had electroreceptive organs.[9]