Mastodonsaurus
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| phylum | Chordata | Mastodonsaurus belongs to a Triassic group of temnospondyls called Capitosauria, characterized by their large body size and presumably aquatic lifestyles. The head of Mastodonsaurus was triangular, reaching about 1.25 metres (4.1 ft) in the largest specimens. The total length of the largest individuals is about 4 to 6 metres (13 to 20 ft). The jaws are lined with conical teeth. Two large tusks project up from the end of the lower jaw, fitting through openings on the palate and emerging out from the top of the skull when the jaw is closed. The body of Mastodonsaurus is relatively small in proportion to the large head, and the tail is relatively short. Mastodonsaurus was an aquatic animal that rarely left water. Mastodonsaurus may have been completely unable to leave the water, as large quantities of bones have been found that suggest individuals died en masse when pools dried up during times of drought. It inhabited swampy pools and lived mainly on fish, whose remains have been found in its fossilized coprolites. It probably also ate land-living animals, such as small archosaurs.
For more information, visit the Wikipedia entry. Get back to Temnospondyli |
| class | Amphibia | |
| order | Temnospondyli | |
| family | Mastodonsauridae | |
| genus | Mastodonsaurus | |
| period | Middle Triassic |
