ABSTRACT

For the first time, the cranial suture pattern for the type species of Cacops, C. aspidephorus, is described in detail. A majority of sutures, including the lower jaw, the skull roof, and the palate, are now known in detail, although details are still lacking for the posterior skull table. Notable new information about C. aspidephorus includes the presence of a lateral exposure of the palatine (LEP), a lateral exposure of the ectopterygoid (LEE) that fuses with the jugal with growth, and a subtympanic flange composed mostly of the supratemporal. Cacops aspidephorus is very similar to C. morrisi, but differences, including a fully closed otic notch in C. aspidephorus, are sufficient to maintain both as distinct species. Uniquely, C. aspidephorus shows palatal dentition of the same size as the marginal dentition, but it remains to be seen whether this is a widespread feature or ontogenetically transient. These new data will finally permit the inclusion of this iconic taxon, described over 100 years ago, into larger-scale phylogenies of dissorophoid and temnospondyl relationships.

摘要

首次详细描述了Cacops，C. aspidephorus类型种的颅骨缝合方式。尽管缝制后颅骨表的细节仍然缺乏，但包括下颌骨，颅骨顶和上颚在内的大多数缝合线现已详细了解。有关asp.phorus的显着新信息包括the骨（LEP）的侧向暴露，与生长相融合的外翅类（LEE）的侧向暴露，以及主要由剑上肌组成的鼓膜下突缘。Cacops aspidephorus与C. morrisi非常相似，但有所不同，包括C. aspidephorus的全封闭耳道切口，足以维持两个不同的物种。独特的是，C。aspidephorus显示出与边缘牙列大小相同的pa牙，但是这是一个广泛的特征还是在个体发育上是暂时的。这些新数据最终将把这个100年前描述的标志性分类单元包括到Dissorophoid和temnospondyl关系的大规模系统发育中。