Trematosauroidea

Taxobox

---

image_caption = "Trematolestes"
name = Trematosauroidea
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Chordata
superclassis = Tetrapoda
classis = Amphibia
ordo = Temnospondyli
infraordo = Trematosauria
superfamilia = Trematosauroidea
superfamilia_authority = Watson, 1919
subdivision_ranks = Families
subdivision =
Benthosuchidae
Thoosuchidae
Trematosauridae

Trematosauroidea are an important group of Triassic Temnospondyl amphibians. They flourished briefly during the Early Triassic, occurring worldwide before declining at the start of the Middle Triassic, although the group continued until the Late Triassic. They were medium-sized temnospondyls with a wedge-shaped tall and narrow skull and, in advanced forms, elongated snout. This latter was probably an adaptation for feeding on fish. The largest and most specialized family, the Trematosauridae, are the only amphibians to have adapted to a marine life-style.

Links

* [http://www.palaeos.com/Vertebrates/Units/160Temnospondyli/400.html Temnospondyli: Trematosauroidea] at Palaeos
* [http://www.fmnh.helsinki.fi/users/haaramo/Metazoa/deuterostoma/Chordata/Amphibia/Limnarchia/Trematosauroidea.htm Trematosauroidea] at Mikko's Phylogeny Archive (cladogram)