Diplocaulus

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Diplocaulus

• Elise Barnes

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Classification

• Kingdom Animalia
• Phylum Chordata
• Class Amphibia
• Subclass Lepospondyli
• Order Nectridea
• Family Diplocaulidae
• Genus Diplocaulus

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Class Amphibia

• 3 main traits 1. breathe by gills until
  metamorphosis occurs to turn juveniles into air
  breathing adults 2. lay eggs in water 3. have
  slimy skin
• In late Carboniferous period (310-300 mya) see
  shift from tetrapods to true amphibians
• Tetrapods likely evolved from lobe-finned fishes
  which already had the ability to breathe air and
  pairs of fins that evolved into legs

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Subclass Lepospondyli

• Small to medium sized amphibians
• Mostly or semi-aquatic
• Body types ranged from being similar to
  snakes/eels, lizards, newts, and others
• Characterized by simple, spool-shaped vertebrae

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Order Nectridea

• Extinct order of lepospondyl amphibians from
  Carboniferous and Permian periods
• Resembled modern newts or aquatic salamanders
• Long flat tail to help with swimming
• Well developed hind limbs with 5 toes, reduced
  forelimbs with 4 toes

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Genus Diplocaulus

• One of the largest lepospondyls (1 meter)
• From Permian period about 300-250 mya
• Distinctive boomerang-shaped head
• Found in Texas, Oklahoma, and Morocco

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Sources

• http//paleodb.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?acheckTaxonI
  nfotaxon_no137283is_real_user1
• http//palaeos.com/vertebrates/lepospondyli/leposp
  ondyli.htmlNectridia
• http//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b3
  /Diplocaulus_magnicornis_Exhibit_Museum_of_Natural
  _History.JPG
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lepospondyli
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FileDiplocaulus_BW.j
  pg
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carboniferous
• http//dinosaurs.about.com/od/otherprehistoriclife
  /a/prehistoric-amphibians.htm
• http//dinosaurs.about.com/od/tetrapodsandamphibia
  ns/p/diplocaulus.htm
• http//dinosaurs.about.com/od/otherprehistoriclife
  /a/tetrapods.htm
• http//dinosaurs.wikia.com/wiki/Diplocaulus