Apateon Explained

Apateon is an extinct genus of temnospondyl amphibian within the family Branchiosauridae.

Species

• †Apateon caducus
• †Apateon dracyi
• †Apateon flagrifer
• †Apateon kontheri
• †Apateon pedestris von Meyer 1840
• †Apateon umbrosus

Fossil record

Fossils of Apateon are found in freshwaters strata of Latest Carboniferous (Gzhelian) to Early Permian (Asselian) of Germany.^{[1] [2]}

Description

These amphibians could reach a length of about 5-, while the length of the skull could reach 8-. They resembled a salamander and had a laterally flattened tail with a long fin. The body was completely covered with rounded scales. The portion of the skull behind the eyes was quite short. On opposite sides of the head there are three pairs of long, spiral-shaped external gills. They had a weakly ossified skeleton and a wide, short skull, with huge eye holes. The teeth were small and peaked. On the hands are present four fingers.^[3]

Biology and lifestyle

Apateon were sexually mature in the larval state, with the retention by adults of traits seen in the young (neoteny). This fully aquatic animal lived in semi-permanent lakes and ponds. They fed on microorganisms. However, in exceptionally harsh environmental conditions, the species A. gracilis engaged in cannibalism.^[4]

Bibliography

• Cyril Walker & David Ward (1993) - Fossielen: Sesam Natuur Handboeken, Bosch & Keuning, Baarn.
• Gaining Ground: The Origin and Early Evolution of Tetrapods
• Hermann von Meyer, 1844: Briefliche Mittheilung an Prof. Bronn gerichtet. Neues Jahrbuch für Geognosie, Geologie und Petrefakten-Kunde 1844: 329–340.
• Hermann von Meyer, 1848: Apateon pedestris aus der Steinkohlenformation von Münsterappel. – Palaeontographica 1: 153–154.
• Jürgen Boy, 1972: Die Branchiosaurier (Amphibia) des saarpfalzischen Rotliegenden (Perm, SW-Deutschland). Abhandlungen des hessischen Landes-Amtes für Bodenforschung 65: 1–137.
• Jürgen Boy, 1987: Studien uber die Branchiosauridae (Amphibia: Temnospondyli; Ober-Karbon-Unter-Perm) 2. Systematische Übersicht. Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie, Abhandlungen 174: 75-104.
• Rainer Schoch und Andrew Milner, 2014: Temnospondyli. In: Sues, H.D. (Hrg): Encyclopedia of Paleoherpetology, Band 3A2. Pfeil: München.
• Rainer Schoch, 1992: Comparative ontogeny of Early Permian branchiosaurid amphibians from Southwestern Germany. Developmental stages. Palaeontographica A 222: 43–83.
• Ralf Werneburg, 1991: Die Branchiosaurier aus dem Unterrotliegend des Döhlener Beckens bei Dresden. Veröffentlichungen des Naturhistorischen Museums Schleusingen 6: 75–99.

Notes and References

1. http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?action=taxonInfo&taxon_no=37038 Paleobiology Database
2. Schoch . Rainer R. . Milner . Andrew R. . 2008 . The intrarelationships and evolutionary history of the temnospondyl family branchiosauridae . Journal of Systematic Palaeontology . en . 6 . 4 . 409–431 . 10.1017/S1477201908002460 . 1477-2019.
3. Boy, J.A. (1972): Die Branchiosaurier (Amphibia) des saarpfalzischen Rotliegenden (Perm, SW-Deutschland). Abhandlungen des hessischen Landesamtes für Bodenforschung 65: 1-137.
4. Witzmann . Florian . 20 February 2009 . Cannibalism in a small growth stage of the Early Permian branchiosaurid Apateon gracilis (Credner, 1881) from Saxony . Fossil Record . en . 12 . 1 . 7–11 . 10.1002/mmng.200800006 . 27 May 2024 . Wiley Online Library.