Labidosaurus

Lab-e-doe-sore-us.
Published on

Emerson Winslow

Paleoichthyologist

Emerson Winslow delves into the underwater world of prehistoric fish, uncovering the mysteries of early marine life. His discoveries have enhanced understanding of vertebrate evolution in aquatic environments.

Cite Feedback Print

Name

Labidosaurus ‭(‬Lipped lizard‭)‬.

Phonetic

Lab-e-doe-sore-us.

Named By

Classification

Chordata,‭ ‬Reptilia,‭ ‬Captorhinida,‭ ‬Captorhinidae.

Diet

Ominvore‭?

Species

L.‭ ‬hamatus‭

Size

Between 75-90‭ ‬centimetres long.

Known locations

USA,‭ ‬Oklahoma‭ ‬-‭ ‬Hennessey Formation.‭ ‬Texas‭ ‬-‭ ‬Arroyo Formation,‭ ‬Upper Vale Formation,‭ ‬Waggoner Ranch Formation.

Time Period

Artinskian to Kungurian of the Permian.

Fossil representation

Several individuals.

In Depth

       Labidosaurus is a genus of captorhinid reptile that lived in the USA in the last half of the early Permian.‭ ‬The upper jaw of Labidosaurus had a pronounced downwards hook that would have fitted around the end of the lower jaw,‭ ‬and unlike previously known captorhinids had a single row of conical teeth.‭ ‬There does not seem to have been any specialisation to the teeth,‭ ‬and in the past many have speculated that Labidosaurus may have been omnivorous.

       In‭ ‬2011‭ ‬a specimen of Labidosaurus was described as having evidence of osteomyelitis,‭ ‬which in more simple English is an infection of the bone.‭ ‬This infection was in the bone of the lower jaw,‭ ‬and is thought to have been established through a broken tooth that allowed bacteria to take hold.‭ ‬This is quite plausible since the teeth of Labidosaurus were very deep rooted,‭ ‬which meant that although they would have been continually replaced by new teeth throughout life,‭ ‬the tooth replacement process would have taken a much longer time than in relatives with shallower roots,‭ ‬allowing for far more time for an infection to take hold.

       Labidosaurus should not be confused with the similarly named captorhinid Labidosaurikos.

Further Reading

-‭ ‬Second contribution to the history of the Cotylosauria.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society‭ ‬35‭(‬151‭)‬:122-139.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Edward Drinker Cope‭ ‬-‭ ‬1896. -‭ ‬The skull and the paleoecological significance of Labidosaurus hamatus,‭ ‬a captorhinid reptile from the Lower Permian of Texas.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society‭ ‬149‭ (‬2‭)‬:‭ ‬237‭–‬62.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Sean P.‭ ‬Modesto,‭ ‬Diane M.‭ ‬Scott,‭ ‬David S.‭ ‬Berman,‭ ‬Johannes M�ller‭ & ‬Robert R.‭ ‬Reisz‭ ‬-‭ ‬2007. -‭ ‬Osteomyelitis in a Paleozoic reptile:‭ ‬ancient evidence for bacterial infection and its evolutionary significance.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Naturwissenschaften‭ ‬98‭ (‬6‭)‬:‭ ‬551‭–‬5.‭ ‬-‭ ‬Robert R.‭ ‬Reisz,‭ ‬Diane M.‭ ‬Scott,‭ ‬Bruce R.‭ ‬Pynn‭ & ‬Sean P.‭ ‬Modesto‭ ‬-‭ ‬2011.

Never Miss a New Species or Fossil Discovery!

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT

Velociraptor
tyrannosaurus illustration