Scientists have discovered a new species of giant ancient amphibians – BBC Russian

• March 24, 2015

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Metoposauroidea have been hundreds of sharp teeth and a big flat head

British scientists have discovered the remains of a giant toothy amphibians that inhabit the ancient lakes and rivers 220 million years ago.

Researchers from the University of Edinburgh claim that members of the species Metoposaurus algarvensis were the size of a passenger car.

Externally Metoposauroidea resembled modern salamanders and newts, but their behavior is more like crocodiles and eat fish.

Unlike today’s amphibians, Metoposauroidea were on top of the food chain.

“They had hundreds of sharp teeth and a big flat head, which is when the jaw slammed looked exactly the toilet seat, “- said the head of research paleontologist Steve Brusatte.

masters of the situation

According to the researcher, in the late Triassic period, when dinosaurs and mammals were yet small size and few in number, monsters like Metoposauroidea are “masters of the situation”.

The average length Metoposauroidea was about two meters, but the largest specimens, as told Brusatte could reach 10 meters in length.

A new species of amphibians was opened in the south of Portugal in the Algarve region, where at the bottom of an ancient lake, scientists have discovered a large number of fossils of amphibians.

Most of the Metoposauroidea became extinct about 200 million years ago, long before extinction of the dinosaurs.

The results of paleontologists at Edinburgh University have been published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.