PBDB Taxon

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Metoposauridae

Amphibia - Temnospondyli - Metoposauridae

Taxonomy

Metoposauridae was named by Watson (1919). It was considered monophyletic by Schoch (2013).

It was assigned to Metoposauroidea by Carroll (1988), Murry (1989), Long and Murry (1995) and Yates and Warren (2000); to Stereospondyli by Watson (1919) and Parker and Irmis (2005); to Temnospondyli by Sulej (2007); to Trematosauroidea by Schoch (2013); and to Stereospondyli by Kuhn (1946) and Buffa et al. (2019).

Subtaxa

Anaschisma (syn. Koskinonodon, Buettneria, Kalamoiketer, Borborophagus), Apachesaurus, Arganasaurus, Bogdania, Dictyocephalus, Dutuitosaurus, Eupelor, Mastodonsaurus durus, Metoposaurus (syn. Metopias), Metoposaurus fraasi (syn. Buettneria major), Metoposaurus hoffmani, Metoposaurus jonesi, Negevodus, Panthasaurus, Trigonosternum

Synonyms

Metoposaurus fraasi was named by Lucas (1904). Its type specimen is USNM 2152, a limb element (interclavicle), and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is 5 miles east of Tanners Crossing, which is in a Norian terrestrial horizon in the Chinle Formation of Arizona.

It was synonymized subjectively with Buettneria perfecta by Long and Murry (1995); it was considered a nomen dubium by Hunt (1993) and Schoch and Milner (2000).
Metoposaurus jonesi was named by Case (1920). Its type specimen is UMMP 3814, a set of postcrania (interclavicle and clavicles), and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is Head of Holmes Creek, which is in a Carnian/Norian channel lag claystone in the Tecovas Formation of Texas.

It was considered a nomen dubium by Hunt (1993) and Schoch and Milner (2000).
Metoposaurus hoffmani was named by Dutuit (1978). Its type specimen is MAD.1-4, a partial skeleton (interclavicular and skull fragments), and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is north-northwest of Folakara, which is in a Triassic terrestrial horizon in the Isalo II Formation of Madagascar.

It was considered a nomen dubium by Schoch and Milner (2000).
Dictyocephalus was named by Leidy (1856). It is not extant.

It was considered a nomen dubium by Schoch and Milner (2000).

It was assigned to Mastodonsauridae by Hay (1902).
Buettneria major was named by Branson and Mehl (1929).

It was synonymized subjectively with Metoposaurus fraasi by Chowdhury (1965).
Eupelor was named by Cope (1869). Its type is Mastodonsaurus durus.

It was synonymized subjectively with Metoposaurus by Chowdhury (1965); it was considered a nomen vanum by Welles and Cosgriff (1965); it was considered a nomen dubium by Schoch and Milner (2000).

It was assigned to Metoposauridae by Cope (1866); and to Mastodonsauridae by Hay (1902).
Dictyocephalus elegans was named by Leidy (1856). Its type specimen is AMNH 5661, a partial skull, and it is a 3D body fossil. Its type locality is New Egypt coal mine, which is in a Norian terrestrial horizon in the Cumnock Formation of North Carolina.

It was considered a nomen dubium by Schoch and Milner (2000).
Mastodonsaurus durus was named by Cope (1866). It is not extant. Its type locality is Phoenixville Tunnel, which is in a Norian terrestrial shale/claystone in the Lockatong Formation of Pennsylvania. It is the type species of Eupelor.

It was recombined as Eupelor durus by Cope (1868), Cope (1869), Miller (1879) and Hay (1902); it was recombined as Metoposaurus durus by Chowdhury (1965); it was considered a nomen vanum by Welles and Cosgriff (1965); it was considered a nomen dubium by Schoch (1999) and Schoch and Milner (2000).

Synonymy list

Year	Name and author
1856	Dictyocephalus Leidy p. 256
1856	Dictyocephalus elegans Leidy p. 256
1857	Dictyocephalus elegans Emmons p. 59
1866	Eupelor Cope
1866	Mastodonsaurus durus Cope p. 250
1868	Eupelor durus Cope
1869	Eupelor Cope p. 25
1869	Eupelor durus Cope p. 25
1879	Eupelor durus Miller p. 156
1902	Dictyocephalus Hay p. 423
1902	Dictyocephalus elegans Hay p. 423
1902	Eupelor Hay p. 423
1902	Eupelor durus Hay p. 423
1904	Metoposaurus fraasi Lucas
1919	Metoposauridae Watson p. 67
1920	Metoposaurus jonesi Case p. 3 figs. Pl. 1
1929	Buettneria major Branson and Mehl
1946	Metoposauridae Kuhn p. 52
1965	Metoposaurus durus Chowdhury p. 42
1965	Metoposaurus fraasi Chowdhury p. 42
1978	Metoposaurus hoffmani Dutuit
1988	Metoposauridae Carroll
1989	Metoposauridae Murry p. 271
1989	Metoposaurus fraasi Murry p. 271
1995	Metoposauridae Long and Murry
2000	Metoposauridae Yates and Warren pp. 84, 101 fig. 1
2005	Metoposauridae Parker and Irmis p. 46
2007	Metoposauridae Sulej
2013	Metoposauridae Schoch
2019	Metoposauridae Buffa et al.

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Rank	Name	Author
kingdom	Animalia	()
—	Bilateria
—	Eubilateria	Ax 1987
—	Deuterostomia
phylum	Chordata	Haeckel 1874
subphylum	Vertebrata
superclass	Gnathostomata
—	Osteichthyes	()
subclass	Sarcopterygii	()
subclass	Dipnotetrapodomorpha	(Nelson 2006)
subclass	Tetrapodomorpha	()
—	Tetrapoda

Rank	Name	Author
class	Amphibia
order	Temnospondyli	()
—	Eutemnospondyli
—	Rhachitomi	()
—	Eryopiformes
—	Stereospondylomorpha
—	Stereospondyli	()
—	Superstes
—	Trematosauria
superfamily	Trematosauroidea
family	Metoposauridae
family	Metoposauridae

If no rank is listed, the taxon is considered an unranked clade in modern classifications. Ranks may be repeated or presented in the wrong order because authors working on different parts of the classification may disagree about how to rank taxa.

Fm. †Metoposauridae Watson 1919

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G. †Anaschisma Branson 1905

†Anaschisma browni Branson 1905

Invalid names: Anaschisma brachygnatha Branson 1905 [synonym], Borborophagus wyomingensis Branson and Mehl 1929 [synonym], Koskinonodon perfectus Case 1922 [synonym]

Invalid names: Borborophagus Branson and Mehl 1929 [synonym], Buettneria Case 1922 [synonym], Koskinonodon Branson and Mehl 1929 [synonym]

G. †Apachesaurus Hunt 1993

†Apachesaurus gregorii Hunt 1993

G. †Arganasaurus Hunt 1993

†Arganasaurus lyazidi Dutuit 1976

G. †Bogdania Yang 1978

G. †Dutuitosaurus Hunt 1993

†Dutuitosaurus ouazzoui Dutuit 1972

G. †Metoposaurus Lydekker 1890

†Metoposaurus algarvensis Brusatte et al. 2015

†Metoposaurus azerouali Dutuit 1976

†Metoposaurus bakeri Case 1931

†Metoposaurus diagnosticus Meyer 1842

Invalid names: Metopias santaecrucis Koken 1913 [synonym], Metopias stuttgartensis Fraas 1913 [synonym], Metoposaurus heimi Kuhn 1932 [synonym], Metoposaurus stuttgartiensis Fraas 1913 [synonym], Trigonosternum latum Schmidt 1931 [synonym]

†Metoposaurus diagnosticus diagnosticus Sulej 2002

†Metoposaurus krasiejowensis Brusatte et al. 2015

†Metoposaurus santaecrucis Koken 1913

†Metoposaurus ultimus Kuhn 1939

Invalid names: Metopias Meyer 1842 [replaced], Metoposaurus diagnosticus krasiejowensis Sulej 2002 [synonym]

G. †Negevodus Mazin 1986

†Negevodus ramonensis Mazin 1986

G. †Panthasaurus Chakravorti and Sengupta 2018

†Panthasaurus maleriensis Chowdhury 1965

G. †Trigonosternum Schmidt 1931

Invalid names: Dictyocephalus Leidy 1856 [nomen dubium], Eupelor Cope 1869 [nomen dubium], Mastodonsaurus durus Cope 1866 [nomen dubium], Metoposaurus fraasi Lucas 1904 [nomen dubium], Metoposaurus hoffmani Dutuit 1978 [nomen dubium], Metoposaurus jonesi Case 1920 [nomen dubium]

Diagnosis

Reference	Diagnosis
T. Sulej 2007	"Large oval widely separated orbits situated in the anterior half of the skull; nares large; a suture of the exoccipital with pterygoid perpendicular to long axis of the skull and visible in ventral view; very wide the cultriform process with a long exposure of the anterior end; the quadrate condyle subtriangular in ventral view; deep and rounded sinus pterygoidei below the oblique crest on the posterior side of the ascending ramus of the pterygoid; a posterior tongue of the articular extends posteriorly between the surangular and the prearticular along the dorsal surface of the retroarticular process; the prearticular short anteriorly; the parapophysis on two neighbouring intercentra of the presacral and sacral region; the clavicles with an indentation in the clavicular blade; the manus and pes unusually large; the femur with the main axes of the proximal and distal heads set to each other at 90 degrees"

Measurements

No measurements are available

Composition:

phosphaticsubp

Environment:

brackish, freshwater, terrestrialuc

Locomotion:

actively mobilesubo

Life habit:

amphibioussubo

Diet:

carnivoresubo

Dispersal:

waterc

Created:

2009-07-20 21:44:54

Modified:

2009-07-20 23:44:54

Source: subo = suborder, c = class, subp = subphylum, uc = unranked clade

References: Uhen 2004, Hendy et al. 2009, Carroll 1988

Age range: base of the Pelsonian to the top of the Sevatian or 247.20000 to 205.60000 Ma

Collections (206 total)

Time interval	Ma	Country or state	Original ID and collection number
Pelsonian	247.2 - 242.0	Israel	Negevodus ramonensis (237234)
Carnian	237.0 - 228.0	USA (Wyoming)	Anaschisma browni, Anaschisma brachygnatha (91900) Anaschisma sp. (91569) Anaschisma sp., Koskinonodon sp., Koskinonodon princeps (91532) Borborophagus sp. (91571) Borborophagus wyomingensis (91566 91568) Koskinonodon sp. (91567) Metoposauridae indet. (107395)
Carnian	237.0 - 228.0	Canada (Nova Scotia)	Stereospondyli indet. (107286)
Carnian	237.0 - 228.0	Germany (Bayern)	Metoposaurus heimi (97735 97736 97737 97738) Metoposaurus sp. (124374)
Carnian	237.0 - 228.0	Zimbabwe (Mashonaland West)	Metoposauridae indet. (220715)
Carnian	237.0 - 228.0	USA (New Mexico)	Metoposauridae indet. (179085) Metoposauridae indet., Apachesaurus gregorii (83736) Metoposauridae indet., Metoposaurus fraasi (22718)
Carnian	237.0 - 228.0	USA (Texas)	Apachesaurus gregorii, Metoposaurus sp. (84271)
Carnian	237.0 - 228.0	Morocco (Marrakech-Safi)	Metoposauridae indet. (94786) Metoposaurus azerouali (222689) Metoposaurus lyazidi (58618) Metoposaurus ouazzoui (222690)
Carnian	237.0 - 228.0	Germany (Baden-Württemberg)	Metopias diagnosticus (97870) Metopias stuttgartensis (106462) Metoposaurus diagnosticus (106458 106459 106461 106463 106997)
Carnian	237.0 - 228.0	India (Madhya Pradesh)	Metoposaurus sp. (207798 207799) Temnospondyli indet. (94787)
Carnian	237.0 - 228.0	Italy (Bolzano)	Metoposaurus diagnosticus (106510)
Carnian - Norian	237.0 - 208.5	USA (Texas)	Apachesaurus gregorii, Buettneria perfecta (71982) Buettneria bakeri (12942 22666) Buettneria perfecta (71980) Buettneria sp. (22706 22707 98596) Buettneria sp., Metoposaurus jonesi (71976) Metoposauridae indet., Buettneria howardensis (22704)
Carnian - Norian	237.0 - 208.5	Poland (Opole)	Metoposaurus diagnosticus (61448)
Carnian - Norian	237.0 - 208.5	India (Andhra Pradesh)	Metoposauridae indet. (174080) Metoposaurus maleriensis (136899 136900 136901)
Carnian - Norian	237.0 - 208.5	USA (Utah)	Metoposauridae indet. (196167)
Carnian - Norian	237.0 - 208.5	India (Telangana)	Temnospondyli indet. (112285)
Carnian - Norian	237.0 - 208.5	India (Madhya Pradesh)	Metoposauridae indet. (218155)
Carnian - Norian	237.0 - 208.5	Portugal (Algarve)	Metoposauridae indet. (82902 82903)
Late/Upper Triassic	237.0 - 201.4	USA (Texas)	Metoposaurus sp., Metoposaurus perfecta (39671)
Late/Upper Triassic	237.0 - 201.4	Madagascar (Toliara)	Metoposauridae indet., Metoposaurus hoffmani (106539)
Carnian - Rhaetian	237.0 - 201.3	Morocco (Marrakech)	Metoposauridae indet. (34678)
Julian	235.0 - 232.0	Austria (Lower Austria)	Metoposaurus santaecrucis (197689)
Tuvalian	232.0 - 221.5	Poland (Opole)	Metoposaurus diagnosticus (61449)
Tuvalian	232.0 - 221.5	USA (Oklahoma)	Buettneria sp. (94088)
Norian	228.0 - 208.5	USA (Texas)	Buettneria perfecta (94493) Metoposauridae indet. (13273 48424 196537 218143 218147) Metoposauridae indet., Metoposaurus bakeri (218126) Metoposaurus fraasi (84269)
Norian	228.0 - 208.5	USA (New Mexico)	Anaschisma sp. (83739) Apachesaurus gregorii (93653 93671 94105) Apachesaurus sp. (179083) Apachesaurus sp., Apachesaurus gregorii (48516) Buettneria sp. (75657 75658 75659 75663 75668 80926) Eupelor sp. (57071) Metoposauridae indet. (75652 75655 75660 75661 75670 93565 93578 93584 93586 93608 93613 93615 93646 94089 94097 179082 179084 179598 223030) Metoposauridae indet., Apachesaurus sp. (93576 93579 93658) Metoposauridae indet., Apachesaurus sp., Anaschisma sp. (83738) Metoposauridae indet., Buettneria sp. (75651) Metoposauridae indet., Buettneria sp., Apachesaurus sp. (55248) Metoposauridae indet., Metoposaurus sp. (93611) Metoposaurus sp. (84272) Temnospondyli indet., Amphibia indet. (83737)
Norian	228.0 - 208.5	USA (New Jersey)	Metoposauridae indet. (12856 92106)
Norian	228.0 - 208.5	USA (Oklahoma)	Metoposauridae indet. (94096)
Norian	228.0 - 208.5	USA (Arizona)	Anaschisma sp. (84263 84266) Apachesaurus gregorii (48421 48546 49500 92827 93415 93418 93423 93425 93443 93459) Apachesaurus gregorii, Buettneria perfecta (39160 52499 92826 93113 93135 93432 93541) Apachesaurus gregorii, Koskinonodon perfectus (92811) Apachesaurus sp. (92855) Buettneria perfecta (52500 52501 52502 57683 92322 92819 92821 92910 92911 92912 92913 92922 92928 92929 92933 93111 93112 93115 93116 93118 93123 93125 93131 93133 93227 93229 93230 93232 93351 93352 93354 93356 93357 93360 93361 93363 93364 93428 93430 93460 93473) Buettneria sp., Apachesaurus sp. (22705 92850 92856) Metoposauridae indet. (57685 57686 93438 93453 93470 93474 93551 223390) Metoposauridae indet., Apachesaurus gregorii, Buettneria perfecta (84264) Metoposauridae indet., Apachesaurus gregorii, Metoposaurus fraasi (48547) Metoposauridae indet., Buettneria perfecta (93569 93571) Metoposauridae indet., Metoposaurus sp. B (48423) Metoposaurus fraasi (84268 93542) Placerias gigas, Metoposaurus sp. (39219)
Norian	228.0 - 208.5	Germany (Baden-Württemberg)	Metoposaurus diagnosticus (106509)
Norian	228.0 - 208.5	USA (North Carolina)	Dictyocephalus elegans (99429)
Norian	228.0 - 208.5	USA (Pennsylvania)	Buettneria perfecta (105836) Mastodonsaurus durus (107421) Metoposauridae indet. (59371)
Lacian - Alaunian	221.5 - 212.0	USA (New Mexico)	Apachesaurus sp. (92090)
Lacian - Sevatian	221.5 - 205.6	USA (New Mexico)	Buettneria sp. (62311)
Rhaetian	208.5 - 201.3	France (Lorraine)	Capitosauridae indet. (36106)
Rhaetian	208.5 - 201.3	USA (Arizona)	Buettneria sp., Metoposaurus sp. (84009) Metoposaurus sp. (84014 84015)
Rhaetian	208.5 - 201.3	Germany (Sachsen-Anhalt)	Metoposauridae indet. (139488) Metoposaurus ultimus (139483)