Cricotus

Cricotus
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Clade: Sarcopterygii
Clade: Tetrapodomorpha
Order: Embolomeri
Family: Archeriidae
Genus:
Cope, 1875
Type species
Cricotus heteroclitus
(nomen dubium)
Cope, 1875

Cricotus is an extinct genus of Embolomeri. It was erected by Cope in 1875,[1] on the basis of fragmentary, not clearly associated remains including caudal vertebrae, on which the name was established (in fact, based on a single intercentrum), as well as a few other postcranial bones. It was little-used in the subsequent literature, contrary to Archeria, which appears to be a junior synonym of Cricotus. However, given that the type species of Cricotus (C. heteroclitus) is a nomen dubium, the name Cricotus is unavailable. This led to Holmes[2] suggesting using the name Archeria for this taxon, though he provided no evidence that he made a formal appeal to the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature for this (and presumably did not do so).

References

  1. ^ Cope ED. 1875. On fossil remains of reptilia and fishes from Illinois. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 27: 404-408.
  2. ^ Holmes R. 1989. The skull and axial skeleton of the Lower Permian anthracosauroid amphibian Archeria crassidisca Cope. Palaeontographica Abt. A Palaeozoologie – Stratigraphie 207: 161-206.