Trematosauroidea

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Trematosauroidea
Trematolestes hagdorni
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Superclass: Tetrapoda Class: Amphibia Order: Temnospondyli Infraorder: Trematosauria Superfamily: Trematosauroidea Watson, 1919
Families
Benthosuchidae Thoosuchidae Trematosauridae

Trematosauroidea are an important group of Triassic Temnospondyl amphibians. They flourished briefly during the Early Triassic, occurring worldwide before declining at the start of the Middle Triassic, although the group continued until the Late Triassic. They were medium-sized temnospondyls with a wedge-shaped tall and narrow skull and, in advanced forms, elongated snout. This latter was probably an adaptation for feeding on fish. The largest and most specialized family, the Trematosauridae, are the only amphibians to have adapted to a marine life-style.

[edit] Links

• Temnospondyli: Trematosauroidea at Palaeos
• Trematosauroidea at Mikko's Phylogeny Archive (cladogram)