Pederpes finneyae Clack, 2002
Tetrapoda
Whatcheeridae
Early Carboniferous
Ballagan Fm, Inverclyde Gr (Tournaisian)
Scotland, UK
Length: 65 cm
The so-called Romer's gap is the 20 million year period which separates the Late Devonian early tetrapod fossil record to the middle Carboniferous one, where no tetrapod fossil has been found until Pederpes which dates from the Tournaisian of Scotland. Contrary to the polydactyl late devonian tetrapods, it had robust 5-digit feet. Pederpes is the earliest known tetrapod capable of terrestrial locomotion.
November 22, 2014
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