Abstract
The Early Permian amniote Oedaleops is generally considered to be one of the basalmost pelycosaurian-grade synapsids. Thus it occupies a key position for understanding the phylogenetic relationships of basal synapsids specifically and basal amniote interrelationships more generally. This assessment has until now been based almost exclusively on the remains of a single skull from the Lower Permian Cutler Formation of north-central New Mexico. The identification of additional cranial as well as numerous postcranial elements of at least three additional individuals now permits a more complete understanding of its anatomy and allows the first attempt at a partial body reconstruction of this basal pelycosaurian-grade synapsid. Oedaleops is confirmed as an extremely basal synapsid taxon, but the addition of postcranial data from Oedaleops to data matrices of earlier phylogenetic analyses unexpectedly weakens, as opposed to strengthens, support for the hypotheses of a monophyletic Eothyrididae.
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Acknowledgments
The authors are grateful to Drs. Pat Holroyd and Kevin Padian who facilitated the examination and loan of specimens and encouraged both the Aerosaurus and Oedaleops studies included in this volume. Drs. Hillary Maddin and Robert Reisz provided thoughtful and measured reviews that helped improve the final version of this study markedly. Particular thanks are due Dr. Reisz regarding the potential diet of basal amniotes. The study of these specimens was made possible by a UCMP Welles Fund Award (to VP). Dr. Anthony Metcalf of the Department of Biology at California State University San Bernardino (CSUSB) provided invaluable help with the phylogenetic analysis. The Professors Across Borders Program at CSUSB provided support to SSS in his initial presentation of these data. SSS thanks Dr. Elizabeth Rega for leading enough interference with Darwin and Owen Sumida to allow the completion of his share of this project. SSS also thanks Kathleen Devlin for critical computer imaging and other logistic support. VP thanks David Pelletier for unflagging support.
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Sumida, S.S., Pelletier, V., Berman, D.S. (2014). New Information on the Basal Pelycosaurian-Grade Synapsid Oedaleops . In: Kammerer, C., Angielczyk, K., Fröbisch, J. (eds) Early Evolutionary History of the Synapsida. Vertebrate Paleobiology and Paleoanthropology. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6841-3_2
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