Dimetropus track indicates scaly skin on ophiacodontids (free pdf)
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Ben Creisler
Jun 29, 2026, 3:24:35 PM (3 days ago) Jun 29
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Ben Creisler
A new paper:
Antoine Logghe, Valentin Buffa, and Lorenzo Marchetti (2026)
An exceptional Dimetropus pes imprint with scalation pattern from the lower Permian of Lodève and its broader implications for early synapsid palaeobiogeography and skin evolution
Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 71(2): 363-382
doi:10.4202/app.01338.2026
https://www.app.pan.pl/article/item/app013382026.html
Free pdf:
https://www.app.pan.pl/archive/published/app71/app013382026.pdf
Dimetropus is one of the most widespread tetrapod ichnogenera of the Permian, known from several Cisuralian units of Euramerica and North Africa. Generally attributed to pelycosaur-grade synapsid trackmakers, two ichnospecies are currently considered valid: D. leisnerianus and D. osageorum. A revision of a well-preserved Dimetropus pes footprint from the lower Permian (upper Artinskian) Rabéjac Formation of the Lodève Basin highlights the first definitive presence of D. osageorum from the Variscan Belt. A synapomorphy-based track–trackmaker correlation suggests ophiacodontids, such as Ophiacodon, as potential tracemakers of D. osageorum. Therefore, this potentially extends the palaeobiogeographic distribution of ophiacodontids in the upper Cisuralian in both North American and European basins. Moreover, the presence of well-preserved epidermal scale imprints on the D. osageorum pes of Lodève precises the evolution of epidermal scalation in pelycosaur-grade synapsids and suggests the presence of both dermal and epidermal scales in ophiacodontids. This occurrence is time-equivalent with the Artinskian Warming Event, strengthening the scenario of epidermal scale evolution in light of palaeoclimatic changes in the Variscan Belt, from everwet-adapted biotas to seasonal drought-adapted biotas.
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Free pdf:
Antoine Logghe, Valentin Buffa, and Lorenzo Marchetti (2026)
An exceptional Dimetropus pes imprint with scalation pattern from the lower Permian of Lodève and its broader implications for early synapsid palaeobiogeography and skin evolution
Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 71(2): 363-382
doi:10.4202/app.01338.2026
https://www.app.pan.pl/article/item/app013382026.html
Free pdf:
https://www.app.pan.pl/archive/published/app71/app013382026.pdf
Dimetropus is one of the most widespread tetrapod ichnogenera of the Permian, known from several Cisuralian units of Euramerica and North Africa. Generally attributed to pelycosaur-grade synapsid trackmakers, two ichnospecies are currently considered valid: D. leisnerianus and D. osageorum. A revision of a well-preserved Dimetropus pes footprint from the lower Permian (upper Artinskian) Rabéjac Formation of the Lodève Basin highlights the first definitive presence of D. osageorum from the Variscan Belt. A synapomorphy-based track–trackmaker correlation suggests ophiacodontids, such as Ophiacodon, as potential tracemakers of D. osageorum. Therefore, this potentially extends the palaeobiogeographic distribution of ophiacodontids in the upper Cisuralian in both North American and European basins. Moreover, the presence of well-preserved epidermal scale imprints on the D. osageorum pes of Lodève precises the evolution of epidermal scalation in pelycosaur-grade synapsids and suggests the presence of both dermal and epidermal scales in ophiacodontids. This occurrence is time-equivalent with the Artinskian Warming Event, strengthening the scenario of epidermal scale evolution in light of palaeoclimatic changes in the Variscan Belt, from everwet-adapted biotas to seasonal drought-adapted biotas.
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