Karaurus

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Karaurus
Temporal range: Late Jurassic 161.2–150.8 Ma[1]
Karaurus sharovi skeleton 34.JPG
Fossil skeleton
Scientific classification e
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Amphibia
Clade: Caudata
Family: Karauridae
Genus: Karaurus
Ivachnenko, 1978
Type species
Karaurus sharovi
Ivachnenko, 1978

Karaurus (meaning head-tail) is an extinct genus of stem-group salamander from the Middle to Late Jurassic (CallovianKimmeridgian) Karabastau Formation of Kazakhstan. It is one of the oldest salamanders known.

Karaurus was about 20 centimetres (7.9 in) long, and very similar anatomically to modern salamanders. It probably swam through fresh water feeding on aquatic snails, worms, crustaceans and insects.[2] Karaurus is thought to form a clade with Kokartus from the Bathonian of Kyrgyzstan, together forming the Karauridae, as the sister group to crown salamanders.

Life restoration of Karaurus sharovi

References[]

  1. ^ "†Karaurus Ivachnenko 1978". Paleobiology Database. Fossilworks. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
  2. ^ Palmer, D., ed. (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. p. 57. ISBN 1-84028-152-9.


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