In Depth Rotaryus is a genus of temnospondyl amphibian that lived in Germany during the Permian. Further Reading – Rotaryus gothae, a New Trematopid (Temnospondyli: Dissorophoidea) from the Lower Permian of Central Germany. - Annals of Carnegie Museum 80(1):49-65. - D. S. Berman, A. C. Henrici, T. Martens, S. S. Sumida & J. S. Anderson … Read more
In Depth Megalophthalma is a genus of temnospondyl amphibian that lived in Germany during the mid Triassic. Further Reading - Skull morphology and phylogenetic relationships of a new Middle Triassic plagiosaurid temnospondyl from Germany, and the evolution of plagiosaurid eyes. - Palaeontology. - R. R. Schoch, A. R. Milner & F. Witzmann - 2014.
In Depth Calmasuchus is genus of temnospondyl amphibian that lived in Spain during the Triassic. Further Reading - A new capitosaur from the Middle Triassic of Spain and the relationships within the Capitosauria. - Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 56:553-566. - J. Fortuny, A. Galobart & C. De Santisteban - 2011.
In Depth Platyoposaurus is a genus of temnospondyl amphibian that looked a lot like a crocodile with a long snout. Like other temnospondyls, Platyoposaurus would have been a predator, primarily of aquatic organisms such as fish and other amphibians. There has been speculation that the possibly gigantic Prionosuchus from South America could be synonymous with … Read more
In Depth Prionosuchus was a temnospondyl amphibian that lived in South America during the Permian, and one that was surprisingly crocodile-like in appearance with a snout similar to that of a gharial crocodile. Most specimens of Prionosuchus are fairly small at only about two and a half meters in length, but one exceptionally large skull … Read more
In Depth Anyone interested in the temnospondyl amphibians would do well to study the Sclerocephalus genus, as it is one of the few temnospondyl genera which actually gives us definitive clues about the lifestyles of these amphibians. There are many individuals of Sclerocephalus known, and between then various life stages are represented. When newly hatched, … Read more
In Depth Phonerpeton was a fairly small temnospondyl amphibian that lived in what is now Texas during the early Permian. As a temnospondyl, Phonerpeton would have been a predator of other small vertebrates such as fish and smaller amphibians, though larger invertebrates may have also been taken. Further Reading - A new trematopsid amphibian (Temnospondyli: … Read more
In Depth Rileymillerus is a little known genus of temnospondyl amphibian that lived in Texas during the late Triassic. Further Reading - A new temnospondyl amphibian from the Late Triassic of Texas. - Journal of Paleontology 74(4):670-683. - J. R. Bolt & S. Chatterjee - 2000.
In Depth Pelorocephalus lived towards the end of the Triassic, a time just before the temnospondyl amphibians declined to be only a small portion of their former selves. Pelorocephalus was typical of the temnospondyl body type, resembling a large heavily built salamander-like creature that in the instance of Pelorocephalus grew to around one meter long, … Read more
In Depth Eryops is one of the better represented predators of the early Permian era, and is likely to have been near to the top of the food chain. It had a particularly stocky build which was supported by a particularly strong spine so that it would not suffocate under its own bulk. Respiration was … Read more