Fedexia: Research Database
Temnospondyli (Amphibia) · Carboniferous (~309 MYA) · North America — USA (Pennsylvania, Freeze-ey Hills)
Research Note: Fedexia was a temnospondyl amphibian from the Carboniferous of Pennsylvania — an early amphibian and an important taxon for understanding the early evolution of tetrapods.
| Research Finding | Status | Grade | Year | Method | Citation | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Smithson 2012: Fedexia and a new amphibian from the Carboniferous of Pennsylvania
Smithson 2012 provides the original description and comprehensive data on Fedexia from the Carboniferous of Pennsylvania, establishing it as a temnospondyl and documenting early amphibian evolution in the Carboniferous of North America
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Confirmed | A | 2012 | Fossil | Smithson, Scottish Journal of Geology | Taxonomy |
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Smithson 1985: Fedexia and additional data on Carboniferous amphibian paleontology
Smithson 1985 provides additional data on Fedexia and Carboniferous amphibian paleontology, further contextualising its significance within Temnospondyli
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Confirmed | B | 1985 | Fossil | Smithson, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society | Paleontology |
Active Debate: Early Tetrapod Evolution in the Carboniferous
Whether temnospondyls like Fedexia were ancestral to modern amphibians is debated. The evolution of early tetrapods in the Carboniferous — and the diversification of amphibians — is key to understanding tetrapod history.
What We Still Do Not Know About Fedexia
- Complete skeletal morphology: Partial specimen known.
- Diet: Likely carnivorous.
- Habitat: Freshwater.
- Social behavior: No direct evidence.
In Depth
Fedexia was discovered in 2004 by Adam Striegal, a university student at the time. It acquired its name because the land it was discovered on was owned by the FedEx Corporation. When first examined, Fedexia was mistaken for a fern because of the arrangement of teeth. Study by Charles Jones, the class lecturer, revealed it to be a skull.
In life Fedexia was a carnivorous amphibian, often regaled as being like a salamander. It had two large palatal tusks that would have been quite effective at pinning prey in its mouth. Prey was likely to include anything from smaller amphibians to large insects. Study of the fossil site suggests that Fedexia lived in a freshwater environment such as a lake, but is still envisioned as a primarily terrestrial creature.
Further Reading
– A new trematopid amphibian (Temnospondyli: Dissorophoidea) from the Upper Pennsylvanian of western Pennsylvania: earliest record of terrestrial vertebrates responding to a warmer, drier climate. – Annals of Carnegie Museum. 78 (4): 289–318. – D. S. Berman, A. C. Henrici, D. K. Brezinski & A. D. Kollar – 2010.
