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Episcopopus ventrosus

Osteichthyes - Temnospondyli

Taxonomy
Episcopopus ventrosus was named by Ellenberger (1970). It is considered to be a form taxon. Its type specimen is 70 (casts SAM-PT-K10949; PECUoM 087 LES, 111 LES), a footprint, and it is a trace fossil. Its type locality is Moyeni tracksite (zone B/1), which is in a Hettangian/Sinemurian fine channel fill sandstone/sandstone in the Elliot Formation of Lesotho. It is the type species of Episcopopus.

Synonymy list
YearName and author
1970Episcopopus ventrosus Ellenberger p. 347
1974Episcopopus ventrosus Ellenberger p. 53 figs. Pl. H, XXI ss
1984Episcopopus ventrosus Olsen and Galton p. 101
2014Episcopopus ventrosus Marsicano et al. p. 3
2025Episcopopus ventrosus Foster et al. p. 327

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RankNameAuthor
kingdomAnimalia()
—Bilateria
—EubilateriaAx 1987
—Deuterostomia
phylumChordataHaeckel 1874
subphylumVertebrata
superclassGnathostomata
classOsteichthyes
RankNameAuthor
subclassSarcopterygii()
subclassDipnotetrapodomorpha(Nelson 2006)
subclassTetrapodomorpha()
—Tetrapoda
classAmphibia
orderTemnospondyli()
genusEpiscopopus
speciesventrosus

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

†Episcopopus ventrosus Ellenberger 1970
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Diagnosis
ReferenceDiagnosis
C. A. Marsicano et al. 2014ca. 3.5 m-long quadrupedal trackmaker with four manual digits and five pedal digits, all of which lack claws. The digital impressions of the manus and pes are convex anteriorly; together the manual digit impressions form a chevron shape, and together the pedal digit impressions form a rounded arch. The pes oversteps the manus of the previous stride (i.e., secondary overstepping), implying the trackmaker had a relatively long body with short limbs. The body drag is broad and lacks evidence of undulation.
J. R. Foster et al. 2025Modified from Ellenberger (1974) and Marsicano et al. (2014): Pentadactyl pes tracks comprise impressions of the clawless, rounded to somewhat laterally elongated tips of five digits only (no sole trace). The impressions of Digits IIeV are arranged in a 20 x 20 cm, slightly inward-oriented arc. Digits II–IV make deeper impressions with the Digit I being very subtly imprinted just posterior to Digit II.
Tetradactyl manus tracks comprise shallow impressions of the gently rounded, clawless tips of Digits I to IV, of which Digits III and IV are associated with deeper, strongly curved drag marks that are convex anteriorly and that converge distally. The impressions of Digits I–IV are arranged in a 25 cm by 15 cm, inward-oriented, acute angle (i.e., an inverted “V” shape). Palm impressions are lacking.
The smooth, discontinuous, and irregular body impression (“heavy belly” drag) is 40 cm wide (Marsicano et al., 2014). This broad and slightly sinuous median body drag lacks evi- dence of regular undulation (Ellenberger, 1974). Occasional straight and narrow grooves run within the body drag, with a longer groove paralleling a shorter one.