Romer’s Gap Silvanerpeton Anthracosaur Collected by Stan Wood

This is a fine example of a rarely seen amphibian known as Silvanerpeton miripededs, thought to be a close to the origin of the amniotes. to the salamanders. It is placed here in the Reptile section of the store as amphibians are almost never offered as well as its perceived status as near the amniotes. The quarry represents a period in time known as Romer’s Gap, a period that is poor in fossils during which the labyrithodonts evolved. The gap is named for Alred S. Romer, the paleontologist who first discovered this discontinuity between the primitive forests and the more modern terrestrial and aquatic assemblages of the Early Carboniferous. The genus derives its name from the Roman god of the woods Silvanus as well as the discoverer Stan Wood. In fact, this specimen was discovered by him as seen from the accession number on the reverse of both halves (see photo). While most specimens are small with a snout-vent length of some 200 mm and a 44 mm skull, this one is quite large given the jaw as preserved is nearly twice the average. Here is a unique opportunity to own a specimen from a key time in the evolution of tetrapods, one that was collected by the very person for whom the species is named. It is the ONLY such example I have ever been able to offer.