Jan. 16, 2009

Jason Anderson holds the fossil of the Gerobatrachus hottoni. / Photo: Ken Bendiktsen

What the 'Frogamander' tells us about amphibian origins

Jason Anderson, an assistant professor at the U of C Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, will speak about this connection and the fossil which sealed the gap.

His hour-long talk is open to the public and will take place on Jan. 22.

The dispute arose because of a lack of transitional forms. This fossil—Gerobatrachus hottoni—provides a much fuller understanding of the origin and evolution of modern amphibians. (Pronounced: GARO-bah-TRAY’-cuss HOT’-in-eye).

The skull, backbone and teeth of the specimen have a mixture of frog and salamander features—the two fused bones in the ankle, which is normally only seen in salamanders, and a very large ear drum. It also has a lightly-built and wide skull similar to that of a frog. Its backbone is exactly intermediate in number between the modern frogs and salamanders and more primitive amphibians.

DATE: Thursday, Jan. 22
TIME: 12 noon
LOCATION: Biological Sciences Building, Room 211