Aspidosaurus

Aspidosaurus Temporal range: Late Carboniferous - Early Permian
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Amphibia
Order:	†Temnospondyli
Family:	†Dissorophidae
Subfamily:	†Cacopinae
Genus:	†Aspidosaurus

Aspidosaurus is an extinct genus of dissorophoidean euskelian temnospondyl within the family Dissorophidae. Aspidosaurs are characterised by possessing a single row of plates which are formed by expansions of the neural spines.

Aspidosaurus novontexicanus

In 1911, Mr Paul Miller discovered in New Mexico the remains of various bones that appeared to belong to Aspidosaurus novontexicanus. The skull closely resembled that of a specimen of Cacops aspidephorous found in Texas but the arrangement of ridges in the otic region was different. The teeth found were slender and conical and all of an approximately equal size. The vertebral column, pelvis and limb bones were also similar but the new specimen was distinguished from Cacops by the armour, the single row of vertical plates that were originally attached to the neural spines of the vertebrae. The feet seem to have been short and broad.

See also

• Prehistoric amphibian
• List of prehistoric amphibians