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Elginerpeton Temporal range: Late Devonian, 375 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓
Life restoration of Elginerpeton
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Clade:	Sarcopterygii
Clade:	Tetrapodomorpha
Family:	†Elginerpetontidae
Genus:	†Elginerpeton Ahlberg, 1995
Type species
Elginerpeton pancheni Ahlberg, 1995

Elginerpeton is a genus of stegocephalian (stem-tetrapod), the fossils of which were recovered from Scat Craig, Morayshire in the UK, from rocks dating to the late Devonian Period (Late Frasnian stage, 375 million years ago). The type species is Elginerpeton pancheni.

Elginerpeton is known from skeletal fragments including a partial shoulder and hip, a femur, tibia (lower hind limb), and jaw fragments. The holotype is a lower jaw fragment estimated at 40 centimeters in total length. The total body is estimated to have measured about 1.5 m (5 ft) in length. Upon its description, Elginerpeton was allied with Obruchevichthys in the family Elginerpetontidae.

A biomechanical analysis of stegocephalian jaws has indicated that Elginerpeton had an unusual feeding habit among tetrapod relatives. Its jaws were thin, and plotted as the most susceptible to high stresses among the sample group. However, the heavy sculpturing of the bone may have reduced these stresses. It also had a high bite force, third overall compared to Crassigyrinus (second) and Megalocephalus (first). These two features combined indicated that the jaw was best suited for quick, strong bites for hunting small yet fast prey.

References

1. ^ Ahlberg, Per E. (1995). "Elginerpeton pancheni and the earliest tetrapod clade". Nature. 373 (6513): 420–425. doi:10.1038/373420a0.
2. Neenan, James M.; Ruta, Marcello; Clack, Jennifer A.; Rayfield, Emily J. (2014-04-22). "Feeding biomechanics in Acanthostega and across the fish–tetrapod transition". Proc. R. Soc. B. 281 (1781): 20132689. doi:10.1098/rspb.2013.2689. ISSN 0962-8452. PMC 3953833. PMID 24573844.

External links

• Elginerpeton pacheni Archived 2013-12-09 at the Wayback Machine Devonian Times

v t e Tetrapodomorpha (Pan-Tetrapoda)
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Clade: Osteichthyes Clade: Sarcopterygii Clade: Rhipidistia Gnathostomata see Gnathostomata Tetrapodomorpha see below↓
Tetrapodomorpha Tetrapodomorpha †Bogdanovia †Chrysolepis †Geptolepis †Glyptopomus †Gogonasus †Greiserolepis †Gyroptychius †Harajicadectes †Kenichthys †Litoptychus †Lamprotolepis †Latvius †Medoevia †Megadonichthys †Muranjilepis †Osteolepis †Peregrina †Platyethmoidia †Shirolepis †Thaumatolepis †Thursius †Tungsenia †Viluichthys †Rhizodontida Archichthys Aztecia Barameda Gooloogongia Hongyu Letognathus Propycnoctenion Pycnoctenion Rhizodus Rossichthys Sauripterus Screbinodus Strepsodus Thysanolepis? Vorobjevaia? †Canowindridae Beelarongia Canowindra Koharalepis Marsdenichthys? Owensia? †Megalichthyidae Askerichthys Cladarosymblema Cryptolepis? Ectosteorhachis Lohsania? Mahalalepis Megalichthys Megapomus? Megistolepis? Palatinichthys Rhizodopsis Sengoerichthys Sterropterygion? Eotetrapodiformes †Palaeospondylus? †Tristichopteridae Bruehnopteron Cabonnichthys Callistipterus Canningius Devonosteus Edenopteron Eusthenodon Eusthenopteron Heddleichthys Hyneria Jarvikina Langlieria Litoptychus? Mandageria Marsdenichthys? Notorhizodon Platycephalichthys Spodichthys Tinirau Tristichopterus Elpistostegalia †Howittichthys? †Livoniana †Panderichthys †Parapanderichthys †Qikiqtania †Rubrognathus †Tiktaalik Stegocephali (Tetrapoda sensu lato) see below↓
Stegocephali (Tetrapoda sensu lato) Devonian taxa †Acanthostega †Brittagnathus †Densignathus †Elpistostege? †Hynerpeton †Ichthyostega †Jakubsonia †Metaxygnathus †Parmastega †Sinostega †Tiktaalik? †Tulerpeton †Tutusius †Umzantsia †Ventastega †Ymeria †Elginerpetontidae Elginerpeton Obruchevichthys Webererpeton Post-Devonian taxa †Antlerpeton †Aytonerpeton †Crassigyrinus †Diploradus †Doragnathus †Gaiasia †Ichthyerpeton †Koilops †Mesanerpeton †Occidens †Ossirarus †Perittodus †Sigournea †Tantallognathus †Aistopoda Andersonerpeton Lethiscus Ophiderpeton Oestocephalidae Coloraderpeton Oestocephalus Phlegethontioidea Pseudophlegethontia Phlegethontiidae Phlegethontia Sillerpeton †Whatcheeriidae Ossinodus? Pederpes Whatcheeria †Colosteidae Colosteus Deltaherpeton Greererpeton Pholidogaster †Adelospondyli Acherontiscus Adelogyrinidae Adelogyrinus Adelospondylus Dolichopareias Palaeomolgophis †"Nectridea" see Nectridea †Baphetoidea Eucritta? Spathicephalus Baphetidae Baphetes Kyrinion Loxomma Megalocephalus †Embolomeri Anthracosaurus Archeria Aversor Calligenethlon Carbonoherpeton "Cricotus" Diplovertebron Eobaphetes Eoherpeton? Leptophractus Neopteroplax Palaeoherpeton Papposaurus Pholiderpeton Proterogyrinus Pteroplax Seroherpeton Spondylerpeton †Gephyrostegidae Bruktererpeton Eusauropleura Gephyrostegus †Other "anthracosaurs" Caerorhachis Casineria? Eldeceeon Eoherpeton Silvanerpeton Termonerpeton Crown group Tetrapoda Temnospondyli (Batrachomorpha see Temnospondyli includes Lissamphibia Reptiliomorpha (Pan-Amniota) see Reptiliomorpha includes Amniota
Related topics Paraphyletic / Polyphyletic groups Stem tetrapoda Osteolepiformes Osteolepididae Megalichthyiformes? Tristichopteridae? Labyrinthodontia Rachitomi Ichthyostegalia Lepospondyli Holospondyli Phyllospondyli Anthracosauria Other topics Evolution of tetrapods Polydactyly in stem-tetrapods Romer's gap Timeline Zachelmie trackways
Category

• Stegocephalians
• Prehistoric lobe-finned fish genera
• Late Devonian sarcopterygians
• Devonian sarcopterygians of Europe
• Transitional fossils
• Frasnian genera