Coffee Creek, 34 (Arroyo Formation) (Permian of the United States)

Also known as Locality 34 (Romer 1928), faunal Zone 4, Lower Clear Fork Group, Texas red-beds, redbeds; Locality VIIa (Romer & Price 1940); "Labidosaurus pocket"; Coffee Creek Bonebed; West Coffee Creek; Middle Coffee Creek; East Coffee Creek

Where: Baylor/Willbarger County, Texas (33.8° N, 99.2° W: paleocoordinates 2.3° N, 28.7° W)

• coordinate based on nearby landmark

• local area-level geographic resolution

When: Arroyo Formation (Clear Fork Group), Kungurian (279.3 - 272.3 Ma)

• "probably not much over 100 feet above the Lueders limestone; the lowest portion may have lain below it.." Details for Faunal Zone 4 of Romer 1928: "The vertebrate remains are confined to approximately the lowest 250 feet or so of the Clear Fork.."

•the base and top of the Clear Fork Group (i.e., Arroyo, Vale, and Choza formations) are both within the Kungurian: see Wardlaw 2005 (Permophiles) for the base, and DiMichele et al. 2001 (J Paleont) for the top

• group of beds-level stratigraphic resolution

Environment/lithology: terrestrial; red claystone and conglomeratic sandstone

• "red beds... red clays, with small amounts of sandstone and conglomerates."

Size class: macrofossils

Collected by J. W. Kitching, P. C. Miller, E. C. Olson, C. H. Sternberg, S. W. Williston, among others in 1895, 1897, 1909, 1965, 1972; reposited in the AMNH, FMNH, MCZ, USNM

• Romer (1928) paper is a review of vertebrates from the Texas red-beds with previously unreported (or undetailed) localities.

•Additional institutions storing material from Coffee Creek:

•BP (Bernard Price Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa)

•BSP (Bayerische Staatssammlung für Paläontologie und Geologie, Munich, Germany)

•UMMP (University of Michigan Museum of Paleontology, Ann Arbor, MI)

Primary reference: E. D. Cope. 1882. Third contribution to the history of the Vertebrata of the Permian formation of Texas. Proceedings of the American Philosophical Society 20:447-461 [M. Carrano/M. Carrano/M. Carrano]more details

Purpose of describing collection: taxonomic analysis

PaleoDB collection 28256: authorized by John Alroy, entered by Robin Whatley on 03.02.2003, edited by Torsten Liebrecht, Matthew Carrano, Emma Dunne and Richard Butler

Creative Commons license: CC BY (attribution)

Taxonomic list

Amphibia
 Temnospondyli - Eobrachyopidae
"Isodectes obtusus" = Isodectes obtusus19, "? Acheloma casei n. sp." = Isodectes obtusus2
"Isodectes obtusus" = Isodectes obtusus19 Cope 1868 tetrapod
AMNH 4744 (Originally A. ? casei figured by Broili 1913, pl. 9, figs 1-2, presumed destroyed in 1944)
"? Acheloma casei n. sp." = Isodectes obtusus2 Cope 1868 tetrapod
BSP unknown catalogue number; occurence is deducted from the original 2 specimens of Acheloma sp. reported in the primary reference
 Temnospondyli - Trimerorhachidae
Trimerorhachis mesops n. sp.17 Cope 1896 tetrapod
Authority is not Romer 1928. entered as "Trimerorachis"
 Temnospondyli - Dissorophidae
Dissorophus multicinctus11, Aspidosaurus chiton n. gen. n. sp.17, "Alegeinosaurus aphthitos n. gen. n. sp." = Aspidosaurus aphthitos19
Dissorophus multicinctus11 Cope 1895 tetrapod
Aspidosaurus chiton n. gen. n. sp.17 Broili 1904 tetrapod
Authority is not Romer 1928.
"Alegeinosaurus aphthitos n. gen. n. sp." = Aspidosaurus aphthitos19 Cope 1881 tetrapod
AMNH 4756 (holotype)
 Temnospondyli - Trematopidae
Acheloma sp.17 Cope 1882 tetrapod
 Temnospondyli - Eryopidae
Eryops sp.17, "Anisodexis imbricarius n. gen. n. sp." = Eryops megacephalus, Anisodexis sp.17
Eryops sp.17 Cope 1877 tetrapod
"Anisodexis imbricarius n. gen. n. sp." = Eryops megacephalus Cope 1877 tetrapod
Anisodexis sp.17 Cope 1882 tetrapod
 Temnospondyli - Zatracheidae
cf. Zatrachys sp.19, "Zatrachys microphthalmus n. sp." = Dasyceps microphthalmus17
cf. Zatrachys sp.19 Cope 1878 tetrapod
SMU specimens (Murray & Johnson, 1987) from East Coffee Creek
"Zatrachys microphthalmus n. sp." = Dasyceps microphthalmus17 Cope 1869 tetrapod
Authority is not Romer 1928. 7 Zatryachys specimens total, see below Z. conchigerus.
 Temnospondyli -
Zatrachys conchigerus n. sp.17 Cope 1896 tetrapod
Authority is not Romer 1928.
 Nectridea - Diplocaulidae
Diplocaulus sp.15, Diplocaulus brevirostris n. sp.15, "Diplocaulus magnicornis n. sp." = Diplocaulus magnicornis, "Diplocaulus limbatus n. sp." = Diplocaulus magnicornis12
Diplocaulus sp.15 Cope 1877 tetrapod
Romer (1928) reports 72 Diplocaulus specimens total; since Olson (1951) refers only 28 specimens from this locality to particular species the remainder (no catalogue numbers given) are listed here as Diplocaulus sp.
Diplocaulus brevirostris n. sp.15 Olson 1951 tetrapod
AMNH 4470 (type), 4544; CNHM UC 1655, 1661
"Diplocaulus magnicornis n. sp." = Diplocaulus magnicornis Cope 1882 tetrapod
AMNH 4466, 4467, 4469, 4484, 4491, 4494, 4498, 4504, 4511*, 4512*, 4514, 4539 (type); CNHM UC 229, 636, 637, 1650, 1654, 1656-1658, 1660, 1663, P 12689; catalogue numbers are from Olson (1951), asterisks mark specimens with uncertain locality data
"Diplocaulus limbatus n. sp." = Diplocaulus magnicornis12 Cope 1882 tetrapod
AMNH 4471 (type); because D. limbatus was found to be an invalid species by Olson (1951) only the type specimen is listed here
Osteichthyes
 Cotylosauria - Diadectidae
"Bolbodon tenuitectes n. gen. n. sp." = Diadectes tenuitectes13, "Diadectes huenei n. sp." = Diadectes tenuitectes17
"Bolbodon tenuitectes n. gen. n. sp." = Diadectes tenuitectes13 Cope 1896 tetrapod
AMNH 4375 (type)
"Diadectes huenei n. sp." = Diadectes tenuitectes17 Cope 1896 tetrapod
Authority is not Romer 1928.
 Synapsida - Sphenacodontidae
Dimetrodon loomisi16, "Embolophorus dollovianus n. sp." = Dimetrodon dollovianus10, "Dimetrodon gigashomogenes n. sp." = Dimetrodon giganhomogenes5
Dimetrodon loomisi16 Romer 1937 synapsid
FMNH 114 (formerly referred to D. dollovianus) + the rest of the total of 15 Dimetrodon specimens originally reported by Romer (1928)
"Embolophorus dollovianus n. sp." = Dimetrodon dollovianus10 Cope 1888 synapsid
AMNH 4064 (type)
"Dimetrodon gigashomogenes n. sp." = Dimetrodon giganhomogenes5 Case 1907 synapsid
FMNH 112 (type)
 Synapsida - Ophiacodontidae
"Varanosaurus acutirostris" = Varanosaurus acutirostris18, "Poecilospondylus francisi n. gen. n. sp." = Varanosaurus acutirostris7
"Varanosaurus acutirostris" = Varanosaurus acutirostris18 Broili 1904 ophiacodont
FMNH (WM) 34
"Poecilospondylus francisi n. gen. n. sp." = Varanosaurus acutirostris7 Broili 1904 ophiacodont
AMNH 4174 (type)
 Synapsida - Edaphosauridae
"Naosaurus claviger n. gen. n. sp." = Edaphosaurus claviger9, Edaphosaurus pogonias n. gen. n. sp.
"Naosaurus claviger n. gen. n. sp." = Edaphosaurus claviger9 Cope 1886 synapsid
AMNH 4002 (type)
Edaphosaurus pogonias n. gen. n. sp. Cope 1882 synapsid
AMNH 4009 (type)
 Therapsida -
Tetraceratops insignis n. gen. n. sp.14
Tetraceratops insignis n. gen. n. sp.14 Matthew 1908 therapsid
AMNH 4526 (type)
Reptilia
 Eureptilia - Captorhinidae
"Pariotichus hamatus n. sp." = Labidosaurus hamatus20, "Labidosaurus hamatus" = Labidosaurus hamatus17, Labidosaurus broilii n. sp.8, "Ectocynodon aguti n. sp." = Captorhinus aguti, "Hypopnous squaliceps n. gen. n. sp." = Captorhinus aguti17, "Pariotichus isolomus n. sp." = Captorhinus aguti12, "Captorhinus angusticeps n. gen. n. sp." = Captorhinus aguti12
"Pariotichus hamatus n. sp." = Labidosaurus hamatus20 Cope 1896 eureptile
AMNH 4341 (type)
"Labidosaurus hamatus" = Labidosaurus hamatus17 Cope 1896 eureptile
AMNH 4406, 4414, 4417, 4421, 4427; CNHM ?*, CNHM UR 161, 273, UC ?*, UC 180, 634*, 643, 724-726, 728-730, 732, 1059, 1199, P 12758; CM 73370 (formerly UCLA VP 3167), CM 73371 (formerly UCLA VP 3200), CM 76876; UCLA VP 435, 436, 3115, 3491; USNM 17045; MCZ 8923; catalogue numbers are from Seltin (1959); specimens not reported by Seltin are compiled from Sumida (1987, 1989) and Modesto (2007); asterisks mark specimens of which the locality is not precisely known but come from the Arroyo Fm. of Baylor Co.
Labidosaurus broilii n. sp.8 Case 1911 eureptile
"Ectocynodon aguti n. sp." = Captorhinus aguti Cope 1882 eureptile
AMNH 4333 (type)
"Hypopnous squaliceps n. gen. n. sp." = Captorhinus aguti17 Cope 1882 eureptile
AMNH 4335 (type); referred specimen of Captorhinus aguti in Seltin (1959); = "indeterminate romeriid" of Fox & Bowman (1966)
"Pariotichus isolomus n. sp." = Captorhinus aguti12 Cope 1882 eureptile
AMNH 4338 (type)
"Captorhinus angusticeps n. gen. n. sp." = Captorhinus aguti12 Cope 1882 eureptile
AMNH 4438 (type); 4334, 4340, 4407, 4408, 4410A, 4438, 4443-4445, 4455*, 4457, 4458, 4760, 6790, 6791; CNHM UC 651, 700, 1043, 1702, 1703, UR 274-276, 292, 327, 351, 371, 372, 1206*; MCZ 1059; USNM 17084*; catalogue numbers are from Seltin (1959) and from Fox & Bowman (1966); all are referred specimens of C. aguti in these references and former assignment to C. angusticeps is not confirmed; asterisks mark specimens of which the locality is unknown but come from the Arroyo Fm. of Baylor Co.; at least 5 specimens unnumbered or missing
Osteichthyes
 Recumbirostra - Molgophidae
"Lysorophus sp." = Brachydectes17, "Brachydectes elongatus" = Brachydectes newberryi21
"Lysorophus sp." = Brachydectes17 Cope 1868 amniote
"Brachydectes elongatus" = Brachydectes newberryi21 Cope 1868 amniote
AMNH 4762a and 7558
 Recumbirostra - Brachystelechidae
Quasicaecilia texana n. gen. n. sp.3
Quasicaecilia texana n. gen. n. sp.3 Carroll 1990 amniote
Exact location where this specimen was found is unknown. Museum data indicates it was collected by C. H. Sternberg in 1917 from "?Baylor County, Texas; Lower Permian, ?Arroyo Formation". USNM 22079 is the holotype (an isolated skull)
 Recumbirostra - Gymnarthridae
"Cardiocephalus sternbergi n. gen. n. sp." = Cardiocephalus sternbergi1, "Gymnarthrus willoughbyi n. gen. n. sp." = Cardiocephalus sternbergi6, Pariotichus brachyops17
"Cardiocephalus sternbergi n. gen. n. sp." = Cardiocephalus sternbergi1 Broili 1904 amniote
"Gymnarthrus willoughbyi n. gen. n. sp." = Cardiocephalus sternbergi6 Broili 1904 amniote
AMNH 4892 (type)
Pariotichus brachyops17 Cope 1878 amniote
AMNH 4760 ("homotype"); type skull of "Captorhinus gregoryi" Broom (see Gregory et al., 1956)
 Recumbirostra - Pantylidae
Pantylus coicodus n. sp.17 Cope 1896 amniote
Authority is not Romer 1928.
 Recumbirostra - Ostodolepidae
? Micraroter erythrogeios4 Daly 1973 amniote
BP/1/3839
Pelodosotis elongatum n. gen. n. sp.4 Carroll and Gaskill 1978 amniote
UMMP 11156 (type), formerly assigned to Ostodolepis brevispinatus by Case (1929)
Ostodolepis brevispinatus n. gen. n. sp.23 Williston 1913 amniote
FMNH UR 860 (type)
 Seymouriamorpha - Seymouriidae
"Seymouria baylorensis n. gen. n. sp." = Seymouria baylorensis1, "Desmospondylus anomalus n. gen. n. sp." = Seymouria baylorensis22
"Seymouria baylorensis n. gen. n. sp." = Seymouria baylorensis1 Broili 1904 tetrapod
AMNH 4342 (type); MCZ 1081, 1083, 1084, 1086; FMNH UR 458; specimen numbers are from Laurin (1996); MCZ 1081, 1083, 1084, 1086 are not counted here because they appear to be already included in collection 22715
"Desmospondylus anomalus n. gen. n. sp." = Seymouria baylorensis22 Broili 1904 tetrapod
FMNH UC 664, 665 (both constitute the holotype)