Devonian- Triassic stem tetrapod remains from Lithuania. Please confirm

[D.N.FossilmanLithuania]

Dear Guys,

 

At the recent time I live in Kursenai (Northern Lithuania) and work in Zagare (Joniskis district, Northern Lithuania) and in this area I find many Devonian tetrapodomorph and other fish remains but I also found one new temnospondyl osteoderm in the younger erratic. In this topic I would like to show all elpistostegalian, ichthyostegalian and temnospondyl remains I collected in the older living locality (Varena town, South Lithuania) and new living area I mentioned. All fossils are from erratic boulders because I did not have enough time to travel and collect finds from outcrops. 

I found many elpistostegalian (panderichthyid, elpistostege or livoniana like) remains especially from Emsian to Early Frasnian age but one fossil in red dolomite can be older (maybe Lochkovian in age). 

Several possible ichthyostegalians I also have in Late Devonian- interclavicle fragment in frasnian and some elginerpetontid and ichthyostegid pieces in Late Famennian.

Talking about temnospondyls, I think they should be from various taxons and can belong to all Carboniferous, Permian and Triassic periods. The majority of remains are osteoderms (stereospondyl like are quite often).  

Please tell if my identifications are correct and help me ID these specimens if some are identified not reliable.

 

1. Panderichthyid skull fragment and scale (Early- Middle Devonian). In the first photo length is 6 mm, in the second- 4 mm.     

[D.N.FossilmanLithuania]

2. Elpistostege like scales (Givetian- Early Frasnian). the first is 4,5 mm length, the second- 6 mm length. 

[D.N.FossilmanLithuania]

3. unidentified elpistostegalian teeth (Emsian- Early Frasnian). The first is 8 mm length the second is 5 mm. 

[D.N.FossilmanLithuania]

4. Livoniana like skull bone. 6 mm length. 

[D.N.FossilmanLithuania]

5. Unidentified elpistostegid scale internal surface, Early Frasnian. 1 cm length. 

 

[D.N.FossilmanLithuania]

6. Elginerpetontidae like skull piece or scale in Zagare stage dolomite, Late Famennian. 1,2 cm length.

[D.N.FossilmanLithuania]

7. Acanthostegid? interclavicle fragment, Frasnian. the preserved part of bone is 4 mm diameter. 

[D.N.FossilmanLithuania]

8. Ichthyostegid gnathal plate internal surface, 1,4 cm length. Late Famennian sandy erratic. 

second photo- thin dermal bone of skull from possible ichthyostegid, also Late Famennian, sandy erratic. ~1 cm length. 

[D.N.FossilmanLithuania]

9. Colocteid? primitive temnospondyl osteoderm, as I saw it is similar to Greererpeton. Carboniferous, 5 mm length. 

[D.N.FossilmanLithuania]

10. Chroniosuchian osteoderm fragment, Late Permian- Triassic. 4,5 mm length. 

[D.N.FossilmanLithuania]

11. Stereospondyl dermal bones, Late Permian- Triassic. 1st picture- 3 mm length, 2nd picture- 3.5 mm length, 3rd picture- 7 mm length.  

[D.N.FossilmanLithuania]

12. Temnospondyl osteoderms, Carboniferous- Triassic. in first picture- 4 mm diameter, in second picture- 6 mm diameter.   

[D.N.FossilmanLithuania]

13. the last find the piece of temnospondyl interclavicle. Carboniferous- Triassic, 4 mm length.

[D.N.FossilmanLithuania]

If anyone is familiar with stem amphibians, please compare with your finds and write the opinion. 

Any help will be very appreciated!

 

Best Regards

Domas

[westcoast]

Nice collection! I can't help but I look forward to reading the replies from those who can. 

[Tidgy's Dad]

Very interesting! 

Nice to see these rare pieces and from a country most of us are not familiar with regarding the geology and fossils.

Thanks for sharing. 

[Miocene_Mason]

Is there any literature on Lithuanian Stem-Tetrapods? Ted Daeschler goes around the world hunting for stem tetrapods, and his e-mail is available online. I’m sure he would be interested in them if they have not otherwise been noted. Awesome finds by the way, very early fish and tetrapods! They are some of my favorite fossils.

[D.N.FossilmanLithuania]

Dear WhodamanHD,

I am not sure if all stem tetrapod species of Baltic region are found in Lithuania but I know some of them. 

There are found Panderichthys rhombolepis, Parapanderichthys, elpistostegid Livoniana in Latvia, elginerpetontid Ventastega in Latvia and also two little known elginerpetontids- Frasnian age Obruchevichthys and another- Webererpeton. More complete specimens are found only from Panderichthys rhombolepis and Ventastega, the other remains usually are known by isolated skull fragments and rarely scales.  

Thank you for mentioning the specialist on stem tetrapods, I am going to look for his email!

Thanks to everyone who was interested, if someone will have the interesting idea about these fossils I would be very happy to discuss.

 

Best Regards

Domas

[jdp]

I don't see anything in particular that would convince me of these IDs. Some of these are probably actinopt or placoderm, to be totally honest. Sorry.