Hatchling Dimetrodon Claw?

[ThePhysicist]

Hi y'all. Found this in some Permian micromatrix from Waurika, OK. There's no way I'm this lucky, but is this a very tiny Dimetrodon claw? I've tried to get access to this paper, but still waiting to see if the authors will send the text. I'm fairly confident it's at least sphenacodontid, based on pictures I've seen on the forum. It's about 3 mm in length.

@dinodigger@jdp

 

[Troodon]

Here is the paper and illustration of different species you can compare yours against but looks like one but the cross-section is needed to determine its not an Edaphosaurus.  The rounded ventral side of the tubercle and lack of its extension might suggest the latter.   Nice find.

 

DemetClaws.pdf

[jdp]

I wonder if maybe it's neither Edaphosaurus or Dimetrodon, but rather something else. We know there are a range of smaller synapsids which are only rarely identified (Glaucosaurus, Ianthasaurus, various "haptodonts", etc) so there are a lot of different credible options. Further, the fact the joint surface is well ossified so I'd prefer this hypothesis to the idea that this is a neonate of one of the larger taxa.

[ThePhysicist]

Thank you both, @Troodon@jdp. I think I'll be content with calling it "non-mammalian synapsid." 

 

I also found a couple of more claws today, one of which I think better fits the Dimetrodon bill. (I also got a cheap ring light today, since I do a lot of photography through the scope, and wow does it help!)

 

 

The new suspect Dimetrodon is this one (~ 4 mm):

 

 

It has the sharp "V" cross section of the flexor tubercle:

 

 

It even has an array of grooves:

 

[jdp]

What's the scale on those claws

[ThePhysicist]

@jdp

 

 

I suppose it's also worth comparing to other claws identified on the forum:

 

This one is 1/2"

Edited July 15, 2021 by ThePhysicist

[jdp]

Yeah again I have no doubt you're looking at sphencodontid-grade eupelycosaur claws there, but I do wonder about whether they are Dimetrodon proper. To me, the possibility that there might be a whole assemblage of small-bodied synapsids that we just haven't IDed is pretty exciting, but I also do recognize that "unknown small synapsid" is less exciting than Dimetrodon itself.

[JohnJ]

Chris @dinodigger has been busy digging Dimetrodons lately.  Hopefully, he will share his experience when he comes in to cool off.

[ThePhysicist]

4 hours ago, jdp said:

Yeah again I have no doubt you're looking at sphencodontid-grade eupelycosaur claws there, but I do wonder about whether they are Dimetrodon proper. To me, the possibility that there might be a whole assemblage of small-bodied synapsids that we just haven't IDed is pretty exciting, but I also do recognize that "unknown small synapsid" is less exciting than Dimetrodon itself.

Haha, indeed! But, I'd rather be accurate than make unsupported leaps to satisfy my wants. If a more precise ID is substantiated, great, if not, that's fine too. Interesting fossils regardless.