This list of prehistoric amphibians is an attempt to create a comprehensive listing of all genera from the fossil record that have ever been considered to be amphibians, excluding purely vernacular terms. The list includes all commonly accepted genera, but also genera that are now considered invalid, doubtful ('' nomina dubia''), or were not formally published (''

nomina nuda In taxonomy, a ''nomen nudum'' ('naked name'; plural ''nomina nuda'') is a designation which looks exactly like a scientific name of an organism, and may have originally been intended to be one, but it has not been published with an adequate descr ...

''), as well as

junior synonyms The Botanical and Zoological Codes of nomenclature treat the concept of synonymy differently. * In botanical nomenclature, a synonym is a scientific name that applies to a taxon that (now) goes by a different scientific name. For example, Linn ...

of more established names, and genera that are no longer considered amphibians. Modern forms are excluded from this list. The list currently includes 454 names.

Naming conventions and terminology

Naming conventions and terminology follow the

International Code of Zoological Nomenclature The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (ICZN) is a widely accepted convention in zoology that rules the formal scientific naming of organisms treated as animals. It is also informally known as the ICZN Code, for its publisher, the ...

. Technical terms used include: * Junior synonym: A name which describes the same taxon as a previously published name. If two or more genera are formally designated and the

type specimens In biology, a type is a particular specimen (or in some cases a group of specimens) of an organism to which the scientific name of that organism is formally attached. In other words, a type is an example that serves to anchor or centralizes t ...

are later assigned to the same genus, the first to be published (in chronological order) is the senior synonym, and all other instances are junior synonyms. Senior synonyms are generally used, except by special decision of the ICZN, but junior synonyms cannot be used again, even if deprecated. Junior synonymy is often subjective, unless the genera described were both based on the same type specimen. *'' Nomen nudum'' (Latin for "naked name"): A name that has appeared in print but has not yet been formally published by the standards of the ICZN. ''Nomina nuda'' (the plural form) are invalid, and are therefore not italicized as a proper generic name would be. If the name is later formally published, that name is no longer a ''nomen nudum'' and will be italicized on this list. Often, the formally published name will differ from any ''nomina nuda'' that describe the same specimen. *'' Nomen oblitum'' (Latin for "forgotten name"): A name that has not been used in the scientific community for more than fifty years after its original proposal. *Preoccupied name: A name that is formally published, but which has already been used for another taxon. This second use is invalid (as are all subsequent uses) and the name must be replaced. As preoccupied names are not valid generic names, they will also go unitalicized on this list. *'' Nomen dubium'' (Latin for "dubious name"): A name describing a fossil with no unique diagnostic features. As this can be an extremely subjective and controversial designation, this term is not used on this list.

A

200px, '' Adelospondylus'' 200px, '' Albanerpeton'' 200px, '' Amphibamus'' 200px, '' Archegosaurus''

B

200px, '' Beelzebufo'' 200px, '' Balanerpeton'' 200px, '' Batrachosuchus''

C

200px, '' Cacops'' 200px, '' Cardiocephalus'' 200px, '' Compsocerops'' 200px, '' Chunerpeton''

D

200px, '' Diplocaulus'' 200px, '' Dvinosaurus''

E

200px, '' Eocaecilia'' 200px, '' Eryops'' *'' Ecolsonia'' *''

Elfridia ''Elfridia'' is a poorly known extinct genus of microsaur within the family Gymnarthridae. History of study ''Elfridia'' was named in 1985 by American paleontologist David Thayer based on material collected from Carboniferous exposures of the ...

'' *''

Elginerpeton ''Elginerpeton'' is a genus of stegocephalian (stem-tetrapod), the fossils of which were recovered from Scat Craig, Morayshire in the UK, from rocks dating to the late Devonian Period (Early Famennian stage, 368 million years ago). The only know ...

'' *''

Embolomeri Embolomeri is an order of tetrapods or stem-tetrapods, possibly members of Reptiliomorpha. Embolomeres first evolved in the Early Carboniferous ( Mississippian) Period and were the largest and most successful predatory tetrapods of the Late Carbon ...

'' *'' Enneabatrachus'' *''

Eocaecilia ''Eocaecilia'' is an extinct genus of gymnophionan amphibian from the early Jurassic Kayenta Formation of Arizona, United States. One species is described, ''Eocaecilia micropodia''. ''Eocaecilia'' shared some characteristics with salamanders a ...

'' *''

Eocyclotosaurus ''Eocyclotosaurus'' is an extinct genus of mastodonsauroid temnospondyl from the Middle Triassic (Anisian In the geologic timescale, the Anisian is the lower stage or earliest age of the Middle Triassic series or epoch and lasted from millio ...

'' *'' Eodiscoglossus'' *'' Eogyrinus'' *''

Eopelobates ''Eopelobates'' is an extinct genus of frogs in the family Pelobatidae. Closely related to the living European spadefoot toad, it is known from the Eocene of western North America, and the Eocene–Pliocene of Europe. It is suggested that the dis ...

'' *''

Eorhinophrynus ''Eorhinophrynus'' is an extinct genus of prehistoric frog from Wyoming. See also * List of prehistoric amphibians This list of prehistoric amphibians is an attempt to create a comprehensive listing of all Genus, genera from the fossil record t ...

'' *''

Eoscapherpeton ''Eoscapherpeton'' is an extinct genus of giant salamander, known from the Late Cretaceous of Central Asia. Fossils have been found in the Cenomanian aged Khodzhakul Formation and Dzharakuduk Formation, Turonian aged Bissekty Formation and the C ...

'' *''

Eoscopus ''Eoscopus'' is an extinct genus of dissorophoidean euskelian temnospondyl in the family Micropholidae. It is known from Hamilton Quarry, a Late Carboniferous lagerstätte near Hamilton, Kansas. Members of Micropholidae were historically inclu ...

'' *''

Eoxenopoides ''Eoxenopoides'' is an extinct genus of prehistoric frogs. It is known from Banke, a Maastrichtian/Selandian crater lake mudstone in South Africa. See also * Prehistoric amphibian * List of prehistoric amphibians This list of prehistoric amphi ...

'' *'' Erpetocephalus'' *'' Erpetosaurus'' *''

Eryops ''Eryops'' (; from Greek , , 'drawn-out' + , , 'face', because most of its skull was in front of its eyes) is a genus of extinct, amphibious temnospondyls. It contains the single species , the fossils of which are found mainly in early Permian (a ...

'' *''

Eryosuchus ''Eryosuchus'' is an extinct genus of capitosauroid temnospondyl amphibian from the Middle Triassic of northern Russia. It was a very large predator: the largest specimen known could reach up to 3.5 m (11.5 ft) in length, with a skul ...

'' *'' Erythrobatrachus'' *'' Estesina'' *'' Eugyrinus'' *'' Eupelor'' *''

Euryodus ''Euryodus'' is an extinct genus of microsaur within the family Gymnarthridae. References See also * Prehistoric amphibian * List of prehistoric amphibians This list of prehistoric amphibians is an attempt to create a comprehensive listing ...

'' *'' Eyrosuchus''

F

*'' Fayella'' *''

Fedexia ''Fedexia'' is an extinct genus of carnivorous temnospondyl within the family Trematopidae. It lived 300 million years ago during the late Carboniferous period. It is estimated to have been long, and likely resembled a salamander.

'' *'' Ferganobatrachus''

G

200px, '' Gerrothorax'' *'' Gaudrya'' *''

Georgenthalia ''Georgenthalia'' is an extinct genus of dissorophoid temnospondyl from the Lower Permian. It is an amphibamid which lived in what is now the Thuringian Forest of central Germany. It is known from the holotype MNG 11135, a small, complete skul ...

'' *'' Gephyrostegus'' *'' Gerrothorax'' *''

Gerobatrachus ''Gerobatrachus'' is an extinct genus of Amphibamidae, amphibamid temnospondyl (represented by the type species ''Gerobatrachus hottoni'') that lived in the Early Permian, approximately 290 million years ago (Ma), in the area that is now Baylor ...

'' *''

Gobiates ''Gobiates'' is an extinct genus of prehistoric amphibians. Fossils have been found in the Barun Goyot and Djadokhta Formations of Mongolia, the Bissekty Formation of Uzbekistan and the Paluxy and Twin Mountains Formations of Texas.

'' *'' Gobiatoides'' *''

Gobiops ''Gobiops'' is an extinct genus of temnospondyl from the Jurassic of Mongolia, China, and possibly Kyrgyzstan. The genus is represented by a single species, ''Gobiops desertus''. It was named in 1991 from the Late Jurassic Shar Teeg Beds of Mong ...

'' *'' Gonioglyptus'' *'' Gosgriffius'' *''

Greererpeton ''Greererpeton burkemorani'' ("crawler from Greer, West Virginia") is an extinct genus of colosteid stem-tetrapods from the Early Carboniferous period (late Viséan) of North America. ''Greererpeton'' was first described by famed vertebrate pal ...

H

*''

Habrosaurus ''Habrosaurus'' (, meaning "graceful lizard") is an extinct genus of prehistoric salamanders, and the oldest known member of the family Sirenidae. Two species are known, ''H. prodilatus'' from the middle Campanian Dinosaur Park Formation of Albe ...

'' *'' Hadrokkosaurus'' *''

Hapsidopareion ''Hapsidopareion'' is an extinct genus of microsaur belonging to the family Hapsidopareiidae. Fossils have been found in the early Permian of Oklahoma. History of study ''Hapsidopareion'' was named in 1973 by American paleontologist Eleanor ...

'' *'' Hatzegobatrachus'' *'' Hemprichisaurus'' *'' Heptasaurus'' *'' Horezmia'' *'' Hylaeobatrachus'' *'' Hyperkynodon'' *''

Hynerpeton ''Hynerpeton'' ( ) is an extinct genus of early four-limbed vertebrate that lived in the rivers and ponds of Pennsylvania during the Late Devonian period, around 365 to 363 million years ago. The only known species of ''Hynerpeton'' is ''H. basse ...

I

*'' Icanosaurus'' *'' Ichthyostega'' *'' Indobenthosuchus'' *''

Indobrachyops ''Indobrachyops'' is an extinct genus of temnospondyl amphibian from the Early Triassic of India. It is known from a nearly complete fossil skull that was first described by paleontologists Friedrich von Huene and M. R. Sahni in 1958 from the Pan ...

'' *'' Indolyrocephalus'' *'' Inflectosaurus'' *'' Inflectosuchus'' *''

Intasuchus ''Intasuchus'' is an extinct genus of temnospondyl amphibian from the Middle Permian of Russia. It is known from a single species, ''Intasuchus silvicola'', which was named in 1956. ''Intasuchus'' belongs to the family Intasuchidae and is probabl ...

'' *'' Iratusaurus'' *'' Iridotriton'' *''

Isodectes ''Isodectes'' is an extinct genus of dvinosaurian temnospondyl within the family Eobrachyopidae. The genus ''Saurerpeton'', named in 1909, is considered to be a junior synonym The Botanical and Zoological Codes of nomenclature treat the concep ...

'' *'' Itemirella''

J

*'' Jammerbergia'' *''

Jakubsonia ''Jakubsonia'' is an extinct genus of early tetrapod from the Late Devonian of Russia. The type species In zoological nomenclature, a type species (''species typica'') is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is consid ...

'' *'' Jeholotriton''

K

200px, '' Karaurus'' *''

Kamacops ''Kamacops'' is a genus of dissorophid temnospondyls known from the Middle to Late Permian of Russia that was described by Yuri Gubin in 1980. It is known from a single species, ''Kamacops acervalis,'' material of which is currently reposited ...

'' *'' Karaurus'' *'' Keraterpeton'' *'' Keratobrachyops'' *''

Kestrosaurus ''Kestrosaurus'', occasionally misspelt as ''Kerstisaurus'', is an extinct genus of Triassic capitosauroid temnospondyl amphibian within the family Mastodonsauridae. See also * Prehistoric amphibian * List of prehistoric amphibians This list ...

'' *'' Kizylkuma'' *'' Koalliella'' *''

Kokartus ''Kokartus'' is an extinct genus of prehistoric stem-group salamander (Caudata) from the Middle Jurassic Balabansai Formation of Kyrgyzstan. The absence of clear lines of arrested growth and annuli in long bones suggests that the animals lived ...

'' *'' Komatosuchus'' *'' Konzukovia'' *''

Koolasuchus ''Koolasuchus'' is an extinct genus of brachyopoid temnospondyl in the family Chigutisauridae. Fossils have been found from Victoria, Australia and date back 120 Ma to the Aptian stage of the Early Cretaceous. ''Koolasuchus'' is the youngest kno ...

'' *'' Koskinonodon'' *''

Kourerpeton ''Kourerpeton'' is an extinct genus of dvinosaurian temnospondyl. Fossils of ''Kourerpeton'' were discovered in a window of a barber's shop in either Bisbee or Mesa, Arizona. ''Kourerpeton'' was named in 1976, with the type and only species be ...

'' *'' Kryostega'' *'' Kuttycephalus''

L

*''

Labyrinthodontia "Labyrinthodontia" (Greek, 'maze-toothed') is an informal grouping of extinct predatory amphibians which were major components of ecosystems in the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic eras (about 390 to 150 million years ago). Traditionally consi ...

'' *'' Laccocephalus'' *''

Laccosaurus ''Laccosaurus'' is an extinct monotypic genus of rhinesuchid temnospondyl amphibian, the type species In zoological nomenclature, a type species (''species typica'') is the species name with which the name of a genus or subgenus is considere ...

'' *''

Laccotriton ''Laccotriton'' is an extinct genus of prehistoric salamanders which lived in Eastern Asia during the Late Jurassic. A nearly complete skeleton of ''L. subsolanus'' was found at Hebei, China. See also * List of prehistoric amphibians This lis ...

'' *'' Lafonius'' *'' Laidleria'' *''

Lapillopsis ''Lapillopsis'' is an extinct genus of stereospondyl temnospondyl within the family Lapillopsidae. Fossils belonging to the genus have been found in the Arcadia Formation ( Rewan Group) of Queensland, Australia. History of study The type sp ...

'' *'' Latiscopus'' *'' Latonia'' *''

Leiocephalikon ''Leiocephalikon'' is an extinct genus of microsaur within the family Gymnarthridae. The type species is ''Amblyodon problematicum'' named by John William Dawson in 1882.J.W. Dawson. 1882. "On the Results of Recent Explorations of Erect Trees Co ...

'' *'' Lepterpeton'' *'' Lethiscus'' *'' Liaobatrachus'' *'' Liaoxitriton'' *'' Limnerpeton'' *'' Limnoiketes'' *''

Limnogyrinus ''Limnogyrinus'' is an extinct genus of dissorophoidean euskelian temnospondyl within the family Micromelerpetontidae. See also * Prehistoric amphibian * List of prehistoric amphibians This list of prehistoric amphibians is an attempt to creat ...

'' *'' Lisserpeton'' *'' Lithobatrachus'' *'' Llankibatrachus'' *''

Llistrofus ''Llistrofus'' is an extinct genus of early Permian microsaur within the family Hapsidopareiidae that is known from Oklahoma. Discovery ''Llistrofus'' was described by Canadian paleontologists Robert Carroll and Pamela Gaskill in 1978. The ...

'' *'' Longiscitula'' *'' Loxomma'' *''

Luzocephalus ''Luzocephalus'' is an extinct genus of temnospondyl amphibian from the Early Triassic of Russia. It is usually regarded as a member of the family Lydekkerinidae, although it has also been placed in the family Trematosauridae Trematosauridae a ...

'' *'' Lydekkerina'' *''

Lyrocephaliscus ''Lyrocephaliscus'' is an extinct genus of trematosaurian temnospondyl within the family Trematosauridae. Classification Below is a cladogram from Steyer (2002) showing the phylogenetic relationships of trematosaurids: See also * Prehistoric ...

'' *'' Lysorophus''

M

180px, '' Metoposaurus'' 180px, '' Microbrachis''

N

*'' Nannaroter'' *'' Nannospongylus'' *''

Nanolania ''Nanolania'' is an extinct genus of rhytidosteid temnospondyl from the early Triassic period (Induan stage) of south central Queensland, Australia. It is known from the holotype QMF 12293, a postorbital fragment associated with lower jaw frag ...

'' *''

Neldasaurus ''Neldasaurus'' is an extinct genus of dvinosaurian temnospondyl within the family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The p ...

'' *'' Neusibatrachus'' *'' Nevobatrachus'' *'' Nezpercius'' *'' Nigerpeton'' *'' Notobatrachus'' *'' Notobrachiops''

O

180px, '' Ophiderpeton'' *'' Odenwaldia'' *'' Odonterpeton'' *'' Odontosaurus'' *'' Oestocephalus'' *'' Oligosemia'' *''

Onchiodon ''Onchiodon'' is an extinct genus of temnospondyl. It is primarily known from the Carboniferous The Carboniferous ( ) is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic that spans 60 million years from the end of the Devonian Period million yea ...

'' *'' Ophiderpeton'' *''

Opisthotriton ''Opisthotriton'' is an extinct genus of prehistoric salamanders that lived in North America between at least the Upper Cretaceous and the Paleocene. See also * List of prehistoric amphibians This list of prehistoric amphibians is an attempt ...

'' *''

Obruchevichthys ''Obruchevichthys'' is an extinct genus of tetrapod from Latvia during the Late Devonian. When the jawbone, the only known fossil of this creature, was uncovered in Latvia, it was mistaken as a lobe-fin fish. However, when it was analyzed, it ...

'' *''

Orthophyia ''Orthophyia longa'' is a prehistoric proteid salamander from the Miocene of Germany. The only known specimen is now lost. See also * List of prehistoric amphibian genera This list of prehistoric amphibians is an attempt to create a comprehens ...

'' *'' Ossinodus'' *'' Osteophorus'' *'' Ostodolepis''

P

200px, '' Platyhystrix'' 200px, '' Prosalirus'' 200px, '' Peltobatrachus'' 200px, '' Pantylus'' 200px, '' Paracyclotosaurus'' 200px, '' Pelodosotis'' 200px, '' Pelorocephalus''

Q

*'' Quasicaecilia'' *'' Quasicyclotosaurus''

R

200px, '' Rhinesuchus'' *'' Rileymillerus'' *'' Rewana'' *''

Rhadalognathus ''Rhadalognathus'' was a prehistoric crocodile-like amphibian that belongs to the Mastodonsauridae family. Not much is known about this creature but it lived in the Triassic period. ''Rhadalognathus'' is also the name of the genus in which the ...

'' *''

Rhadinosteus ''Rhadinosteus parvus'' (meaning "long slender bone") is an extinct species of prehistoric frogs that lived during the Late Jurassic.Foster, J. (2007). "''Rhadinosteus parvus''." ''Jurassic West: The Dinosaurs of the Morrison Formation and Their ...

'' *''

Rhineceps ''Rhineceps'' is an extinct genus of temnospondyl amphibian in the family Rhinesuchidae. ''Rhineceps'' was found in Northern Malawi (formerly Nyasaland) in Southern Africa known only from its type species ''R. nyasaensis''. ''Rhineceps'' was a la ...

'' *''

Rhinesuchoides ''Rhinesuchoides'' is an extinct genus of prehistoric temnospondyl in the family Rhinesuchidae. It contains two species, ''R. tenuiceps'' and ''R. capensis'', both from the Karoo Supergroup of South Africa. The latter was formerly a species of '' ...

'' *''

Rhinesuchus ''Rhinesuchus'' (meaning "rasp crocodile" for the ridged surface texture on its skull bones) is a large temnospondyl amphibian. Remains of the genus are known from the Permian of the South African Karoo Basin's ''Tapinocephalus'' and ''Cistec ...

'' *''

Rhinophrynus This frog belongs to the Family ''Rhinophrynidae'' and Genus Rhinophrynus. Rhinophrynus dorsalis is the only living representation of the family Rhinophrynidae. This family is also known as the burrowing toads, and is evidently a small and specia ...

'' *''

Rhynchonkos ''Rhynchonkos'' is an extinct genus of microsaur. It is the only known member of the family Rhynchonkidae. Originally known as ''Goniorhynchus'', it was renamed in 1981 because the name had already been given to another genus; the family, likewis ...

'' *''

Rhytidosteus ''Rhytidosteus'' is an extinct genus of temnospondyl amphibian from the Early Triassic of South Africa. In 2019, the remains were also discovered in the Astrakhan region, Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcon ...

'' *''

Ricnodon ''Ricnodon'' is an extinct genus of microsaur within the family (biology), family Hapsidopareiontidae. The genus name means ‘wrinkled tooth’ from Ancient Greek ῥικνός and ''odôn''. The specific name honors Edward Drinker Cope.Anton Fr ...

'' *'' Rotaurisaurus'' *'' Rubricacaecilia''

S

200px, '' Sclerocephalus'' 200px, '' Saharastega'' 120px, '' Siderops''

T

200px, '' Triadobatrachus'' 200px, '' Trematosaurus''

U

*''

Uranocentrodon ''Uranocentrodon'' is an extinct genus of the family Rhinesuchidae. Known from a skull, ''Uranocentrodon'' was a large predator with a length up to . Originally named ''Myriodon'' by van Hoepen in 1911, it was transferred to a new genus on acco ...

'' *''

Urocordylus ''Urocordylus'' is an extinct genus of nectridean lepospondyl. It is the type genus of the family Urocordylidae. Fossils have been found from Ireland that date back to the Westphalian stage of the late Carboniferous. This lepospondyl had tota ...

'' *'' Utaherpeton''

V

*'' Valdotriton'' *'' Vanastega'' *'' Ventastega'' *'' Vieraella'' *'' Vigilius'' *'' Volgasaurus'' *''

Volgasuchus ''Volgasuchus'' was found in 1940; it was considered a Capitosauridae according to R. L. Carroll in 1988. There is little to no information on this amphibian. In 2020 ''Volgasaurus'' was found to be a junior synonym of '' Wetlugasaurus''.Carr ...

'' *'' Vulcanobatrachus''

W

200px, '' Wetlugasaurus'' *''

Wantzosaurus ''Wantzosaurus'' was a genus of temnospondyl amphibian of the Trematosauridae family. Fossils have been found in the Early Triassic Middle Sakamena Formation (Sakamena Group) of what is now Madagascar. It showed adaptations for an almost complete ...

'' *'' Watsonisuchus'' *'' Wealdenbatrachus'' *''

Wellesaurus ''Wellesaurus'' is an extinct genus of mastodonsauroid temnospondyl. They were amphibious carnivores that lived in freshwater environments. ''Wellesaurus'' encompasses several species which were connected when the genus was named in 1971. The ...

'' *'' Wetlugasaurus'' *'' Whatcheeria''

X

*''

Xenobrachyops ''Xenobrachyops'' is an extinct genus of temnospondyl amphibian from the Triassic of Australia, describing a single species, ''Xenobrachyops allos''. It is estimated to have been around fifty centimetres long and its diet would have consisted ...

'' *'' Xenotosaurus'' *'' Xestorrhytias''

Y

*'' Yarengia'' *''

Ymeria ''Ymeria'' is an extinct genus of early stem tetrapod from the Devonian of Greenland. Of the two other genera of stem tetrapods from Greenland, ''Acanthostega'' and ''Ichthyostega'', ''Ymeria'' is most closely related to ''Ichthyostega'', thoug ...

'' *'' Yuanansuchus'' *'' Yizhoubatrachus''

Z

200px, '' Zatrachys'' *'' Zaphrissa'' *'' Zatrachys'' *'' Zygosaurus''