Dimetrodon? Vertebrae from Texas Red Beds

[JojoMozza]

Hi all,

I’m about to purchase this nice set of Dimetrodon vertebrae from the Texas Red Beds. Just wondering if they are in fact Dimetrodon verts?

Thank you!

Jojo

[Tidgy's Dad]

Could be. The size and shape seem about right, compared to ones I have nearly bought and the ones I've seen on the net. 

Not certain, though, others will know much more than I. 

[ynot]

This is one for @dinodigger

[jdp]

I think this is Archeria, not Dimetrodon.

[JojoMozza]

Thank you for your help guys. I’d really like to find out if they are Dimetrodon. I know it’s hard with no neural processes

[ynot]

26 minutes ago, JojoMozza said:

Thank you for your help guys. I’d really like to find out if they are Dimetrodon. I know it’s hard with no neural processes

Be patient, not all members login every day.

Have some popcorn and sit back for a while.

[jdp]

3 hours ago, JojoMozza said:

Thank you for your help guys. I’d really like to find out if they are Dimetrodon. I know it’s hard with no neural processes

So to expand on my previous post, I am pretty sure this is not Dimetrodon, and not in fact a synapsid at all, but rather an early tetrapod called an embolomere. The dead givaway here is that only every other vertebral centrum has the transverse processes that serve as attachment points for ribs; that's because every other "vertebra" is actually an intercentrum and not a true vertebra. There are a few embolomeres survive into the Early Permian (that we know of) and the one we see most of is Archeria crassidisca. Archeria is well-known from the Texas redbeds (it's named after Archer City, Texas).

 

So, not Dimetrodon, but a rare-ish and cool animal in its own right.