Produced by the Population Genetics and Evolution class, Furman University

The Carboniferous: Temnospondyls
Temnospondyli, an order of very widespread and large extinct 'proto-amphibians', have been found all over the world in different environments. Resembling large salamanders or small crocodiles, temnospondyls ranged between 20 cm to 3 m long, with varying lengths of snouts. Temnospondyls also did not have a specific ecological niche, they ranged from aquatic (freshwater) to terrestrial habitats (Stever and Laurin 2009). Although all temnospondyls laid their eggs in water, some adults used their limbs to swim in the water or walk on land, while others also used their powerful tail and hind legs to propel themselves on land or water with eel-like motions (White and Kazlev 2009). One defining characteristic of the temnospondyls are their large, flat heads with bicuspid pedicellate teeth that were most likely used to eat small fish. It has been suggested that modern amphibians originated from within the temnospondyli order (Steyer and Laurin 2009). Cochleosaurids, a family of temnospondyls, were long-snouted edopoids that ranged from 30 cm to 3 meters long. They did not have lateral lines on their bodies, so they were thought to be mainly terrestrial (White and Kazlev 2009). A genus called Branchiosaurus, a member of the temnospondyli order, is an example of the aquatic temnospondyls, as they were known to have 3 pairs of external gills and lived during the late Carboniferous period (Branchiosauridae 2006)

Page by Julia Bobo
Top Picture: Skull of a Parotosaurus of the Temnospondyli order. Photo from: The Tree of Life
Bottom Picture: Artist’s interpretation of a Cochleosaurus. Photo from: Wikipedia Commons

Steyer JS and Laurin M. 2009. Temnospondyli. Tree of Life website. Accessed March 3, 2010.

White T and Kazlev MA. 2009. Temnospondyli. Palaeos.com. Accessed March 3, 2010.

Branchiosauridae. 2006. Permian tetrapods website. Accessed March 3, 2010.

Wikipedia. 2009.Branchiosaurus. Accessed March 3, 2010.