In Depth Anconastes was a realtively small temnospondyl amphibian, and although the name means ‘mountain dweller’, Anconastes probably didn’t stray too far from the swamps and water systems of Carboniferous North America. Further Reading - A new genus and species of trematopid amphibian from the Late Pennsylvanian of north-central New Mexico, David S Berman, Robert … Read more
In Depth Antarctosuchus is noted for having relatively small teeth, which may indicate a specialisation towards hunting smaller animals. The strongly developed sensory canals in the skull also suggest that Antarctosuchus was hunted primarily in the water. Further Reading - A new capitosauroid temnospondyl from the Middle Triassic upper Fremouw Formation of Antarctica. - Journal … Read more
In Depth Trematolestes is a genus of temnospondyl amphibian that is known to have lived in Germany during the Mid Triassic. Further Reading - A Complete Trematosaurid Amphibian From The Middle Triassic Of Germany. - Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology 26 (1): 29–43. - Rainer R. Schoch - 2006.
In Depth Anaschisma is a genus of temnospondyl amphibian known to have lived in North America during the late Triassic. Anaschisma were primarily aquatic predators using their salamander-like bodies to swim through the water and navigate submerged obstacles in searching for prey. Anaschisma is regarded as a metoposaurid temnospondyl amphibian, which means that it is … Read more
In Depth Platyhystrix stands out from the other amphibians of its group by possessing a sail on its back similar to the pelycosaurs Dimetrodon and Edaphosaurus. It is uncertain why Platyhystrix developed this sail, but the genus may have been adapting to a similar reason as the aforementioned pelycosaurs, indeed, their fossils and those of … Read more
In Depth Arachana was a key find for the study of temnospondyls because the skull possesses a mix of features which show a transition between rhinesuchids and lydekkerinids. Aside from helping to establish a lineage between these groups, but also illustrates that temnospondyls were trying to adapt to changing environmental conditions from the effects of … Read more