Westlothiana

Taxobox
name = "Westlothiana"
fossil_range = Early Carboniferous

---

image_width = 250px
image_caption = "Westlothiana lizziae"
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
superclassis = Tetrapoda
genus = "Westlothiana"
species = "W. lizziae"
binomial = "Westlothiana lizziae"

"Westlothiana lizziae" was a reptile-like tetrapod that bore a superficial resemblance to modern-day lizards. It lived during the Carboniferous period, about 350 million years ago. The type specimen was discovered in East Kirkton Quarry, Bathgate, Scotland, in 1984, and was named after the West Lothian district where it was found. "Westlothiana"'s anatomy contained a mixtures of both early tetrapod and amniote features, and was originally regarded as the first reptile. This species probably lived near a freshwater lake, probably hunting for other small creatures that lived in the same habitat. It was later identified as a reptiliomorph, distantly related to the amniotes. Some scientists say that "Westlothiana" is not even a reptiliomorph at all and may have been a far more primitive type of tetrapod. The same as been argued for seymouriamorphs.

References

* [http://www.mwfossils.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/Ekirk.htm The earliest Reptiliomorph] - accessed October 22, 2007

External links

* [http://cat.inist.fr/?aModele=afficheN&cpsidt=3959522 Westlothiana lizziae from the Viséan of East Kirkton, West Lothian, Scotland, and the amniote stem]
* [http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg14119123.500-amphibians-that-came-to-stay-how-did-oddlooking-creaturesthat-struggled-out-of-warm-equatorial-waters-to-live-on-land-hundreds-ofmillions-of-years-ago-end-up-on-a-scottish-football-ground-.html AMPHIBIANS that came to stay]