Primitive amphibia - Wildlife in the Fossil sites

Primitive amphibia - Animals in the Fossil sites, and Biodiversity

Classified animal picture guide. Highlighting the link

of species shows the images, and clicking a link shows Evolutionary Tree.

The followings are extinct primitive amphibia excavated. The primitive amphibias evolved from fishes, and are ancestors of reptiles lived from Devonian to Triassic, and survived twice at the Great Dying②(375-360 Mya), ③(260-253 Mya). The explanation in brackets is the ages they lived in extinct species. Note that Mya is million years ago. For example, "48.6～40.4 Mya" shows a range between 48.6 and 40.4 million years ago. The time range is shown in the Geological Time Table. The followings are a part of the Evolutionary Tree.

Kingdom Animalia

Phylum Chordate

Subphylum Vertebra

Infraphylum Gnathostomata (Jawed vertebrates)

Class Sarcopterygii (Four-limbed vertebrate, Coelacanth, Lungfish)
- Subclass Tetrapodomorpha (Four-limbed vertebrate)
  Lobe-finned fish Osteolepis (400～380 Mya), Panderichthys (383.7～376.1 Mya; Amphibia like), Tiktaalik (383.7～376.1 Mya; Amphibia like), Ventastega (385.3～374.5 Mya; Amphibia like)

Class Amphibia

Primtive tetrapod

Pederpes

(353.8～349.5 Mya; Missing-link), Eucritta

(350 Mya)

Subclass Labyrinthodontia (Maze-toothed)

Primitive amphibia

Elginerpeton

(395 Mya; Primitive tetrapoda), Obruchevichthys

(370 Mya; Primitive tetrapoda), Crassigyrinus

(345.3～328.3 Mya)

Order Ichthyostegalia (Intermediate form between fish and amphibians)
Primitive amphibia Ichthyostega (374～359 Mya), Acanthostega (365 Mya)

Order Temnospondyli (Ancestors of modern amphibians; 449～272.5 Mya)

Suborder Rhachitomi
Primitive amphibia Pholidogaster (336.8～323.2 Mya), Dendrerpeton (318.1～313.4 Mya), Cochleosaurus (312～305 Mya)
Suborder Euskelia
Primitive amphibia Amphibamus (311.7～303.9 Mya), Eryops (305～272.5 Mya), Platyhystrix (299～284 Mya; Large sail on back), Gerobatrachus (279.5～272.5 Mya), Cacops (279.5～272.5 Mya)
Suborder Dvinosauria
Primitive amphibia Cheliderpeton (299～270 Mya), Prionosuchus (270 Mya; ９m), Dvinosaurus (265～251 Mya)

Suborder Stereospondyli

Primitive amphibia

Peltobatrachus

(270.6～268 Mya), Aphaneramma

(249.7～245 Mya), Batrachosuchus

(245～237 Mya), Cyclotosaurus

(245～203.6 Mya), Mastodonsaurus

(245～199.6 Mya), Gerrothorax

(237～199.6 Mya; Extremely flat body), Metoposaurus

(228～203.6 Mya), Koolasuchus

(125～112 Mya)

Superorder Reptiliomorpha (Reptile-like amphibia; 318.1～272.5 Mya) ⇒ Class Reptile
Primitive reptile Casineria (339.4～336 Mya; Primitive amniotes), Westlothiana (336～332.9 Mya; Primitive amniotes)
- Order Anthracosauria (Ancestors of reptiles)
  - Suborder Embolomeri (Primitive evolution from amphibia)
    Primitive reptile Eogyrinus (318.1～299 Mya), Diplovertebron (311.7～306.5 Mya), Anthracosaurus (310 Mya), Archeria (299～272.5 Mya)
  - Suborder Seymouriamorpha (Small terrestrial amphibians)
    Primitive reptile Discosauriscus (299～284 Mya), Seymouria (284～272.5 Mya; Many reptilian features), Bystrowiana (258～251 Mya)
  - Suborder Diadectomorpha (Large reptile-like amphibians)
    Primitive reptile Limnoscelis (305～279.5 Mya), Tseajaia (299～272.5 Mya), Diadectes (290～272.5 Mya; Ancestors of amniotes)

Subclass Lepospondyli
- Order Adelospondyli
  Primitive amphibia Adelospondylus (359～318 Mya), Palaeomolgophis (359～318 Mya)
- Order Aistopoda (Snake-like amphibians; 307.1～272.5 Mya)
  Primitive amphibia Ophiderpeton (318.1～312 Mya; Snake-like amphibia), Phlegethontia (307.1～305 Mya; Snake-like amphibia)
- Order Nectridea (Aquatic amphibians; 307.11～272.5 Mya)
  Primitive amphibia Diploceraspis (299～270 Mya; Body like arrow), Diplocaulus (284～253.8 Mya; Body like arrow)
- Order Microsauria (Lizard-like animals; 318.1～272.5 Mya)
  Primitive amphibia Microbrachis (307.1～302 Mya), Rhynchonkos (299～270 Mya), Cardiocephalus (284～272.5 Mya), Pantylus (279.5～272.5 Mya)
- Order Lysorophia (Snake-like amphibians)
  Primitive amphibia Brachydectes (318.1～305 Mya; Snake-like amphibia), Lysorophus (284～272.5 Mya; Snake-like amphibia)
Subclass Lissamphibia (Frogs, Toads, Salamanders, Newts)