Publication details
New material of Discosauriscus from the lower Permian of the Boskovice Basin reveals a best preserved scaly skin pattern in larval stages of seymouriamorphs
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| Year of publication | 2024 |
| Type | Conference abstract |
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| Description | Discosauriscus is the most abundant tetrapod from the early Permian of the Boskovice Basin (Czech Republic). The skeletal remains of their immature stages (mostly including larvae) are often articulated in specific layers within several horizons of the Letovice Formation (Calábková et al. 2022, fig. 2). The first material of Discosauriscus was described by Makowsky (1876) from the Malá Lhota locality. Since then, these fossils have attracted researchers and collectors for their abundance and completeness. In some cases, their body fossils are associated with soft tissue, such as external gills and eye structures (Špinar 1952; Klembara & Meszároš 1992; Klembara 1995). Here, we present undescribed material from the newly discovered second site near Malá Lhota. Compared to other localities within the Letovice Formation, atypical preservation resulted in the preservation of extremely rare soft tissue with a scaly skin pattern associated with the appendicular skeleton. In addition, well preserved dermal scales were captured in some parts of the bodies. Discosauriscids from Malá Lhota thus provide the most accurate view on the body covering of at least pre-adult representatives of Seymouriamorpha. |