Orobates
Encyclopedia
Orobates is an extinct genus of diadectid. It lived in the middle Permian
, about 260 million years ago. Its remains were found in Germany
.
A combination of primitive and derived traits makes Orobates the sister group of all Diadectidae, the most primitive known member of the family of generally large bodies herbovorious reptil like amphibians
. It appears to have been part of an uppland fauna, browsing on high fibre plants. The trace fossil
species Ichniotherium sphaerodactylum, from Bromacker in Germany has been attributed to Orobates, showing dragmarks from the tail. The genus was characterized by a long body and tail, with fairly short legs and a short skull compared to the more derived Diadectes
. This indicate Oreobates was less specialised for long treks compared to Diadectes
.
Permian
The PermianThe term "Permian" was introduced into geology in 1841 by Sir Sir R. I. Murchison, president of the Geological Society of London, who identified typical strata in extensive Russian explorations undertaken with Edouard de Verneuil; Murchison asserted in 1841 that he named his "Permian...
, about 260 million years ago. Its remains were found in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
A combination of primitive and derived traits makes Orobates the sister group of all Diadectidae, the most primitive known member of the family of generally large bodies herbovorious reptil like amphibians
Reptiliomorpha
Reptiliomorpha refers to an order or subclass of reptile-like amphibians, which gave rise to the amniotes in the Carboniferous. Under phylogenetic nomenclature, the Reptiliomorpha includes their amniote descendants though, even in phylogenetic nomenclature, the name is mostly used when referring to...
. It appears to have been part of an uppland fauna, browsing on high fibre plants. The trace fossil
Trace fossil
Trace fossils, also called ichnofossils , are geological records of biological activity. Trace fossils may be impressions made on the substrate by an organism: for example, burrows, borings , urolites , footprints and feeding marks, and root cavities...
species Ichniotherium sphaerodactylum, from Bromacker in Germany has been attributed to Orobates, showing dragmarks from the tail. The genus was characterized by a long body and tail, with fairly short legs and a short skull compared to the more derived Diadectes
Diadectes
Diadectes was a genus of large, very reptile-like amphibians that lived during the early Permian period...
. This indicate Oreobates was less specialised for long treks compared to Diadectes
Diadectes
Diadectes was a genus of large, very reptile-like amphibians that lived during the early Permian period...
.