Paleothyris facts for kids
Quick facts for kids PaleothyrisTemporal range: Pennsylvanian
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| Paleothyris (details not accurate) | |
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Captorhinida
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Captorhinomorpha
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Protorothyrididae
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Paleothyris
Carroll, 1969
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Paleothyris was a small, quick reptile that lived a very long time ago. It lived during the Pennsylvanian period, about 312 to 304 million years ago. Its fossils have been found in Nova Scotia, which is in Canada.
This ancient animal was only about a foot (30 cm) long. Paleothyris was a nighttime hunter. It used its sharp teeth and big eyes to catch insects and other small animals. It likely found its food on the floor of its forest home.
What Was Paleothyris?
Paleothyris was an early type of sauropsid. This group includes all modern reptiles and birds. Even though it was a reptile, it still had some features that were more like older amphibians.
Its Skull and Features
One interesting thing about Paleothyris was its skull. Most reptiles and mammals have holes in their skulls called fenestrae. These holes make the skull lighter and allow for stronger jaw muscles. However, the skull of Paleothyris did not have these holes. This type of skull is called an anapsid skull.
Other Ancient Animals
Paleothyris lived alongside many other interesting creatures. Scientists study these fossils to understand how life on Earth changed over millions of years. Here are some other ancient animals that lived around the same time or a bit earlier:
- Pederpes: An early four-legged animal called a tetrapod. It lived about 359–345 million years ago.
- Westlothiana: This animal lived about 350 million years ago. Scientists think it might have been an early amniote. Amniotes are a group of animals that lay eggs with a protective membrane, like reptiles, birds, and mammals.
- Casineria: From about 340 million years ago, this was another very early amniote.
- Protoclepsydrops: This animal lived around 314 million years ago. It might be the earliest known synapsid. Synapsids are the group that includes mammals.
- Hylonomus: Also from about 312 million years ago, this was another early anapsid sauropsid, similar to Paleothyris.
- Archaeothyris: Living around 306 million years ago, this was another early synapsid.
- Petrolacosaurus: From about 302 million years ago, this was the first known diapsid sauropsid. Diapsids have two holes in their skull, unlike the anapsid Paleothyris.
See also
In Spanish: Paleothyris acadiana para niños
