for Suminia’s extensive oral processing suggest that Suminia dentition is highly specialized for high fiber herbivory. This provides an alternative explanation that the ability to process tough, high fiber plant material may have been a more basal feature of anomodonts than previously thought. Habitat/lifestyle Adaptations to arboreal lifestyle are understood to evolve through convergent evolution. However, many arboreal vertebrates share similar physical mechanisms (grasping, clinging, hooking) Suminia is referred to as the earliest known arboreal tetrapod due to the suggested grasping abilities inferred from the notably enlarged and phalangiform carpal 1 and tarsal 1 which indicate that they possess a divergent first digit, capable of grasping. The first digit is measured to have an angle of ~30-40 degrees to the remaining digits of the manus and pes which grants ability of the first digit to flex ventrally, independent of the rest of the digits (can be compared to an opposable thumb) This is further supported by the elongated limbs and claw shaped, laterally compressed terminal phalanges which would aid in clinging ability. In addition, the tail anatomy with expansion of the anterior region and suggests ability of balance as well as prehensile, grasping abilities, providing more evidence for arboreal lifestyle. Via a morphometric analysis as well as comparison to other arboreal vertebrates, Suminia getmanovi provides anatomical evidence that it lived among the trees, stamping a significant mark in evolutionary history for arboreal lifestyle. Classification Suminia belong to the monophyly/infraorder Venyukovioidea, a sub clade of basal anomodonts. See also List of therapsids References Anomodont genera Lopingian synapsids of Europe Prehistoric synapsids of Europe Fossil taxa described in 1994 Fossils of Russia