Labyrinthodontia

A Labyrinthodont (Greek, "maze-toothed") is any member of an extinct superorder or subclass (Labyrinthodontia) of amphibians, which constituted the dominant animals of Late Paleozoic and Early Mesozoic times (about 350 to 210 million years ago). The name describes the pattern of infolding of the dentine and enamel of the teeth, which are often all of the creatures that survives.

Related Topics:
Greek - Extinct - Amphibians - Paleozoic - Mesozoic - Dentine - Enamel

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The grouping "Labyrinthodonts" has been largely discarded as paraphyletic, that is, artificially composed of organisms that have separate genealogies, and thus not a valid taxon. The orders that have usually been placed within Labyrinthodontia, such as Ichthyostegans, Batrachosauria, or Temnospondyls, are currently collected as Reptiliomorpha or as Anthracosauria, interpreting cladistic analysis.

Related Topics:
Paraphyletic - Taxon - Ichthyostega - Batrachosauria - Temnospondyl - Reptiliomorpha - Anthracosauria - Cladistic analysis

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