In Depth
Benthosuchus has been considered to be a member of the Trematosauroidea (type genus Trematosaurus), but in more recent time the genus has also been considered to be a member of the Mastodonsauroidea (type genus Mastodonsaurus). However the primitive nature of Benthosuchus makes a confident assignment difficult to establish.
Benthosuchus seems to have been a mid-sized temnospondyl amphibian with an estimated length or around two and a half meters. As a predator Benthosuchus likely preyed upon fish and other smaller temnospondyls.
Further Reading
- The Triassic amphibian Thoosuchus yakovlevi and the relationships of the Trematosauroidea (Temnospondyli: Stereospondyli). - Records of the Australian Museum 55: 331–342. - R. J. Damiani & A. M. Yates - 2003. - New data on trematosauroid labyrinthodonts of Eastern Europe: 4. Genus Benthosuchus Efremov, 1937. - Paleontological Journal 46(4):68-79 - I. V. Novikov - 2012. – A New Benthosuchid (Amphibia: Temnospondyli) from the Lower Triassic of the Moscow Syncline. – Paleontological Journal 54(4):401–409. – Boris Morkovin – 2020.
