Cricotus

Cricotus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Superorder:	Reptiliomorpha
Order:	Anthracosauria
Family:	Archeriidae
Genus:	Cricotus

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 is why Holmes [2] suggested 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 it).

A skeleton of Cricotus crassidens (specimen AMNH 4550)

Detail of the skull and limbs of AMNH 4550

Illustration of the skull and ventral scutes of Cricotus heteroclitus by Edward Drinker Cope.

References

Cope ED. 1875. On fossil remains of reptilia and fishes from Illinois. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia 27: 404-408.
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.

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[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.