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Marmorerpeton

Marmorerpeton is a biology topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Marmorerpeton rather than just read about it. In short: Marmorerpeton is an extinct genus of prehistoric stem group-salamanders from the Middle Jurassic of the United Kingdom. They are among the oldest known salamanders.

Marmorerpeton — main illustration
Marmorerpeton — illustration

Key takeaways

  • Marmorerpeton belongs to biology; place it in that map before memorising details.
  • Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
  • Connect Marmorerpeton to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
  • Reproduce the core statement of Marmorerpeton from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Marmorerpeton is an extinct genus of prehistoric stem group-salamanders from the Middle Jurassic of the United Kingdom. They are among the oldest known salamanders. The genus was first described by Susan E. Evans et al. in 1988, when two species were named: M. freemani, and M. kermacki. The material mainly comprised disarticulated vertebrae, partial jaws, and partial skull roofing bones with heavy sculpture. It was recovered via screenwashing from the "Mammal Bed" of Kirtlington Quarry, Oxfordshire. The bed lies near the boundary of the White Limestone Formation and the overlying Forest Marble Formation (the biota from the "Mammal Bed" can be found at Forest Marble Formation#Paleobiota).

Marmorerpeton is a relatively large stem-salamander, and is estimated to have reached at least 40 centimetres (16 in), and possibly 55–60 centimetres (22–24 in). The size of their osteocytic lacunae indicate a large genome size and some morphological characters, such as the presence of calcified cartilage in the medulla of its humerus, suggested that Marmorerpeton was neotenic.

Further remains of Marmorerpeton representing a new species, M. wakei, were described in 2022 from the Kilmaluag Formation of the Isle of Skye, Scotland. These remains are partly articulated and include a nearly complete skull, complete tail, partly articulated back bone, and several limb bones. These remains conclusively demonstrated that Marmorerpeton was neotenic, and was a member of the family Karauridae, with the other two members of the family, Karaurus and Kokartus which are known from the Middle-Late Jurassic of Central Asia. The teeth appear to have been weakly pedicellate.

References

Illustrations

Marmorerpeton illustration
Marmorerpeton: Cross section of a Marmorerpeton femur in normal transmitted (left) and polarized (right) light
Cross section of a Marmorerpeton femur in normal transmitted (left) and polarized (right) light

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Marmorerpeton

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Marmorerpeton claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In biology, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Marmorerpeton before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Marmorerpeton ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Marmorerpeton

In research
Marmorerpeton appears in biology research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry
Engineering practice reuses Marmorerpeton in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom
Marmorerpeton is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Fossil taxa described in 1988, Jurassic amphibians of Europe, Jurassic salamanders, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life
Look for Marmorerpeton outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.
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How to study Marmorerpeton in 20 minutes

  1. Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
  2. Close the page and write down what Marmorerpeton means in your own words.
  3. Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
  4. Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
  5. Explain Marmorerpeton out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Marmorerpeton in simple terms?

Marmorerpeton is an extinct genus of prehistoric stem group-salamanders from the Middle Jurassic of the United Kingdom. They are among the oldest known salamanders.

Why does Marmorerpeton matter?

Because it connects several biology ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Marmorerpeton?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Marmorerpeton.

Tags

  • Fossil taxa described in 1988
  • Jurassic amphibians of Europe
  • Jurassic salamanders
  • Prehistoric amphibian genera
  • Prehistoric amphibian stubs
  • Prehistoric salamanders
  • Taxa named by Susan E. Evans

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