trematopsids

Trematopsids were a group of extinct amphibians belonging to the order Temnospondyli. These extinct tetrapods lived during the Late Carboniferous and Early Permian periods, approximately 300 to 270 million years ago. Their fossils have been found in North America, Europe, and Africa.

Trematopsids were semi-aquatic predators, likely spending a significant portion of their lives in freshwater environments such as rivers and swamps. They are characterized by their flattened skulls, which were often broad and triangular in shape. This skull morphology is thought to have aided them in ambushing prey from the water's surface or bottom. Many trematopsids possessed large eyes positioned dorsally, further supporting a predatory lifestyle of lying in wait.

Their bodies were generally robust, with short, powerful limbs. The exact size of trematopsids varied, but some species could reach lengths of up to two meters. Their diet likely consisted of fish, smaller amphibians, and possibly terrestrial invertebrates that ventured near the water. Trematopsids represent an important lineage in the evolution of early tetrapods, demonstrating adaptations for a semi-aquatic existence during the Paleozoic Era. Their extinction is part of the broader pattern of amphibian decline at the end of the Permian period.