Araeoscelis

Taxobox
name = "Araeoscelis"
status = fossil
fossil_range = Early Permian
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
classis = Sauropsida
subclassis = Diapsida
ordo = Araeoscelida
familia = Araeoscelidae
genus = "Araeoscelis"

"Araeoscelis" is an extinct genus of diapsid reptile, one of the first diapsids (after "Petrolacosaurus"). It was about 60 cm (2 ft) long.

"Araeoscelis" resembled a lizard and differed from its ancestor by its teeth- they were adapted for a more specialized diet. The teeth were bigger and blunter than "Petrolacosaurus"`; possibly they were used for cracking insect carapaces.

Notably, the design of "Araeoscelis"'s skull was also different: contrary to its close relatives which exhibit the two pairs of skull openings characteristic of diapsids, in "Araeoscelis" the lower pair of temporal fenestrae were closed with bone, resulting in an euryapsid condition. Possibly the effect is to solidify the skull, allowing a more powerful bite.

References

* cite book
author = Carroll, Robert L.
year = 1988
title = Vertebrate paleontology and evolution
location = New York
publisher = W.H. Freeman and Co

* cite book
author = Benton, Michael J.
year = 2000
title = Vertebrate paleontology
publisher = Blackwell Science
location = Oxford
edition = 2nd edition