Aistopoda

Oestocephalus amphiuminus

• Europe
• North America

The serpent amphibians ( Aistopoda ) are a fossil taxon legless terrestrial vertebrates. They are classified in the group of Hüllenwirbler ( Lepospondyli ) and lived during the Early Carboniferous to the early Permian in Europe and North America. The most famous representatives were Ophiderpeton and Phlegetonia.

Features

The serpent amphibians were legless Lepospondylen, a group of similar land vertebrates, amphibians, which are probably a basal branch in the parent group of the Amniota. They reached a length of 5 to 100 centimeters, and were similar in their lifestyles and their looks small snakes. The body was elongated and had up to 230 vertebrae while the tail was very short. The head was characterized by the loss and the fusion of many bones in the snout area, the neck and into the skull. Thus, the skull was very mobile and the jaw could be opened wide.

System

The origin and phylogenetic relationships of the snake amphibians is not fully understood until now. Usually they are combined with the also living in the Carboniferous Adelospondyli to a taxon is the sister group of all other Lepospondylen.

• Aïstopoda Lethiscus
• Ophiderpeton
• Pseudophlegethontia
• Oestocephalidae Coloraderpeton
• Oestocephalus

• Dolichosoma
• Phlegethontia
• Sillerpeton