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Prehistoric amphibians are various amphibians that lived before recorded history. The earliest forms date back to at least 350 million years (Carboniferous period). Originally, ancestors were fish-like with fins that looked like legs. Eventually these fins turned into functional legs and they made the transition to land living animals.

During the Carboniferous and early Permian, many types of prehistoric amphibians flourished; these belonged to the two ancient, extinct, subclasses Labyrinthodontia and Lepospondyli. Modern amphibians (Subclass Lissamphibia) first evolved during the Triassic and Jurassic.

  • ?Balanerpeton
  • ?Dendrepeton

Subclass Labyrinthodontia (paraphyletic)

Subclass Lepospondyli

  • Diplocaulus
  • Keraterpeton
  • Microbrachis
  • Ophiderpeton
  • Pantylus
  • Phlegethontia

Subclass Lissamphibia (includes recent amphibians as well)

  • Eocaecilia
  • Karaurus
  • Triadobatrachus
  • Vieraella
  • Palaeobatrachus

See also

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