Westlothiana facts for kids
Quick facts for kids WestlothianaTemporal range: early Carboniferous
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| Westlothiana lizziae | |
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Westlothiana
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W. lizziae
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| Westlothiana lizziae Smithson and Rolfe, 1990
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Westlothiana lizziae was an ancient animal that lived about 350 million years ago. It was a type of tetrapod, which means it had four limbs. This creature is very special because it shows features of both amphibians and early amniotes. Amniotes are animals like reptiles, birds, and mammals that lay eggs with a protective shell or develop inside the mother.
Westlothiana looked a bit like a modern lizard. Scientists found its first fossil in 1984 in East Kirkton Quarry, Bathgate, Scotland. They named it after the area where it was found, West Lothian.
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What Was Westlothiana Like?
Westlothiana was a slender animal with small legs and a long tail. It probably lived near freshwater lakes. This creature likely hunted other small animals in its habitat.
It was a very small animal, only about 20 centimeters (about 8 inches) long when fully grown. This makes it one of the smallest tetrapods ever discovered from that time. Another tiny tetrapod, Casineria, was also found in Scotland.
Scientists believe that the first amniote eggs might have evolved in very small animals. Because of its size and features, Westlothiana is an important fossil in understanding how amniotes first appeared.
Special Features of Westlothiana
Westlothiana had some advanced features that link it more closely to amniotes than to amphibians. These include:
- Its ankle bones were not fused together.
- Its teeth did not have the complex infolding found in amphibians of that time.
- It lacked an otic notch, which is a small opening behind the eye found in many amphibians.
- It had a generally small skull.
Its long body and small legs might have helped it to burrow into the ground. Some modern skinks, which are a type of lizard, have similar body shapes for burrowing.
How Scientists Classify Westlothiana
Scientists have different ideas about where Westlothiana fits in the animal family tree. Some think it was a very early amniote. Others believe it was a type of amphibian called a Lepospondyl. Because of these different views, its exact place in the family tree is still being discussed.
Images for kids
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A collection of diagrams showing how ankle bones were arranged in Westlothiana and other tetrapods.
See also
- In Spanish: Westlothiana para niños
