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Hidden morphological diversity among early tetrapods

TLDR
Micro-computed tomography of the only known specimen of Lethiscus is used to provide new information that strongly challenges a consensus that stem group tetrapods were much more diverse in their body plans than previously thought.
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Stem caecilian from the Triassic of Colorado sheds light on the origins of Lissamphibia

TLDR
The hypothesis of caecilian origins closes a substantial morphologic and temporal gap and explains the appeal of morphology-based polyphyly hypotheses for the origins of Lissamphibia while reconciling molecular support for the group’s monophyly.
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PLEMMYRADYTES SHINTONI, GEN. ET SP. NOV., AN EARLY PERMIAN AMPHIBAMID (TEMNOSPONDYLI: DISSOROPHOIDEA) FROM THE ESKRIDGE FORMATION, NEBRASKA

TLDR
A new genus and species of amphibamid dissorophoid, Plemmyradytes shintoni, is described from the lower half of the Permian-aged Eskridge Formation near Humboldt, Nebraska, and the demonstration of evolutionary trends within the family based on the new data allows a comparison of competing phylogenetic hypotheses.
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Cranial Morphology of Recumbirostrans (Lepospondyli) from the Permian of Kansas and Nebraska, and Early Morphological Evolution Inferred by Micro-Computed Tomography

ABSTRACT ‘Microsaurs’ (Lepospondyli) were a group of tetrapods whose fossil record spanned the Mississippian—Early Permian, and have sometimes been implicated in the origins of lissamphibians…
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Cranial Morphology of the Carboniferous-Permian Tetrapod Brachydectes newberryi (Lepospondyli, Lysorophia): New Data from µCT

TLDR
The morphology of the skull of a partial growth series of the lysorophian Brachydectes newberryi is studied using x-ray micro-computed tomography and reveals similarities between the braincase of BrachydECTes and brachystelechid recumbirostrans, corroborating prior work suggesting a close relationship between these taxa.
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The Cranial Morphology of a New Genus of Lungfish (Osteichthyes: Dipnoi) from the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation of North America

TLDR
The North American Ceratodus record is reexamined in light of more complete material from the Temple Canyon localities of the Morrison Formation of Colorado, USA and is found to be an assemblage of forms with disparate cranial morphology.
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An Exceptionally Preserved Transitional Lungfish from the Lower Permian of Nebraska, USA, and the Origin of Modern Lungfishes

TLDR
Morphology of the skull, hyoid arch, and pectoral girdle suggests a deviation in feeding mechanics from that of Devonian lungfishing towards the more dynamic gape cycle and more effective buccal pumping seen in modern lungfishes.
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Micro-CT Study of Rhynchonkos stovalli (Lepospondyli, Recumbirostra), with Description of Two New Genera

TLDR
The morphology of the holotype and three specimens previously attributed to R. stovalli are studied with the use of micro-computed x-ray tomography, resulting in proposed similarities that are more ambiguous than previous descriptions suggest.
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Cranial Morphology of the Brachystelechid ‘Microsaur’ Quasicaecilia texana Carroll Provides New Insights into the Diversity and Evolution of Braincase Morphology in Recumbirostran ‘Microsaurs’

TLDR
The organization of the skull roof and braincase of Quasicaecilia is found to be more in line with that of other recumbirostrans than previously described, despite differences in overall shape, and the importance of future attention to the role of the cervical musculature is underscored.
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Plants, fish, turtles, and insects from the Morrison Formation: A Late Jurassic ecosystem near Cañon City, Colorado

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