The most complete skeleton of Ophiacodon Navajovicus (Eupelycosauria: Ophiacodontidae), from the Upper Pennsylvanian of Canon del Cobre, New Mexico (abs.)

Abstract

A recently discovered partial skeleton of the pelycosaurian-grade synapsid Ophiacodon navajovicus, the most complete yet found, is described from the Upper Pennsylvanian interval of the El Cobre Canyon Formation (Cutler Group) at Cañon del Cobre, Rio Arriba County, New Mexico. The postcranial elements include vertebrae representative of all regions of the vertebral column, a nearly complete pelvis, a complete right femur and portions of other limb bones, as well as bones of the right pes. In addition, fragments of a right maxilla and dentary were also found. Its stratigraphic distribution in New Mexico, Utah and Colorado indicate that O. navajovicus characterizes the Cobrean land-vertebrate faunachron (lvf).