The Richards Spur locality in Oklahoma contains one of the most diverse Lower Permian faunas in the world. The fossils are preserved in caves and fissures that formed in Ordovician limestone and form part of a upland fauna rich in amphibians and reptiles. Being completely terrestrial no fish or freshwater shark fossils are known, making it almost unique in the Permian fossil record. The fossils are either preserved in clay that can easily be dissolved in water, or hard limestone that has to be dissolved in acid. All of the fossils on this page had to undergo the lengthy acid treatment but are wonderfully preserved.
Cacops collection in display case
Opisthodontosaurus small jaw section.
Mycterosaurus intercentrum, caudal & thoracic vertebrae
Traditionally all Captorhinus material from Richards Spur was assigned to C. aguti. However, in recent years the number of species has increased with at least 4 species now being recognised: C. aguti, C. magnus, C. kierani and one unnamed species. The differences in the species are all determined by the dentition with post cranial material being indistinguishable. C. aguti is still by far the most common species but there is a possibility material assigned to this species may belong to one of the rarer forms.
Captorhinus "aguti" Collection
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