The Diplocaulidae ("double cauls") is an extinct family of "nectridean" tetrapodomorphs that arose during the Late Carboniferous and died out in the Late Permian. [1] They are distinguished by the presence of strange, horn-like protrusions jutting out from the rear of their skulls; in some genera said protrusions gave their heads an almost boomerang-like outline.
Diplocaulidae Temporal range: Late Carboniferous - Late Permian
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A skeletal diagram of Diplocaulus | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Clade: | Sarcopterygii |
Clade: | Tetrapodomorpha |
Order: | †Nectridea |
Family: | †Diplocaulidae Cope, 1881 |
Subgroups | |
Synonyms | |
Phylogeny
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Germain, D. (2010). "The Moroccan diplocaulid: the last lepospondyl, the single one on Gondwana". Historical Biology. 22 (1–3): 4–39. doi:10.1080/08912961003779678.