Eldeceeon
Extinct genus of reptile-like amphibians
title: "Eldeceeon" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["basal-tetrapods-of-europe", "carboniferous-reptiliomorphs"] description: "Extinct genus of reptile-like amphibians" topic_path: "general/basal-tetrapods-of-europe" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eldeceeon" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Extinct genus of reptile-like amphibians ::
| taxon = Eldeceeon | fossil_range = middle Mississippian (Viséan), | image = Eldeceeon life restoration.png | image_caption = Life restoration | authority = Smithson, 1994 | display_parents = 2 | type_species = Eldeceeon rolfei | type_species_authority = Smithson, 1994
Eldeceeon is an extinct genus of reptiliomorph from the Mississippian (early Carboniferous) of Scotland. It is known from two fossil specimens found within the Viséan-age East Kirkton Quarry in West Lothian. The type and only species, E. rolfei, was named in 1994. Eldeceeon is thought to be closely related to embolomeres, but it has several distinguishing features including long limbs and a short trunk. Initially known from two crushed partial skeletons, Eldeceeon was redescribed by Ruta, Clack, & Smithson (2020). The redescription supported affinities with Silvanerpeton, reconstructed a skull with larger eyes and a shorter snout, and emphasized potential correlations for an enlarge puboischiofemoralis internus 2 muscle.
Description
In the East Kirkton Quarry, fossils of Eldeceeon were found alongside another reptiliomorph called Silvanerpeton. These genera are closely related to each other but represent an unusual group of reptiliomorphs that cannot be placed in any of the major reptiliomorph clades, but may be related to the earliest embolomeres. Unlike most embolomeres, which could grow over a meter long, Eldeceeon has a much smaller body length of 35 cm. Compared to embolomeres, it has fewer dorsal vertebrae and much larger limbs relative to its body. The shortened spine and robust limbs of Eldeceeon suggest it had a terrestrial lifestyle, distinguishing it from the primarily aquatic embolomeres which have relatively long bodies and short limbs. These adaptations also distinguish it from Silvanerpeton, which is presumed to have been aquatic.
The ribs of Eldeceeon are restricted to the front half of the spine, a characteristic that is not present in any tetrapods (four-limbed vertebrates) except mammals and their relatives. The pectoral and pelvic girdles resemble those of the embolomere Proterogyrinus.
References
References
- Smithson, T.R.. (1994). "''Eldeceeon rolfei'', a new reptiliomorph from the Viséan of East Kirkton, West Lothian, Scotland". Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh: Earth Sciences.
- Ruta, Marcello. (2006). "A review of ''Silvanerpeton miripede'', a stem amniote from the Lower Carboniferous of East Kirkton, West Lothian, Scotland". Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh: Earth Sciences.
- Ruta, Marcello. (2020). "A review of the stem amniote Eldeceeon rolfei from the Viséan of East Kirkton, Scotland". Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.
- Carroll, R.L.. (2009). "The Rise of Amphibians: 365 Million Years of Evolution". Johns Hopkins University Press.
- Garcia, W.J.. (2006). "Wetlands Through Time". Geological Society of America.
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::