Microsauria ("small lizards") is an extinct, possibly polyphyletic[1] order of tetrapods from the late Carboniferous and early Permian periods. It is the most diverse and species-rich group of lepospondyls.[2][3] Recently, Microsauria has been considered paraphyletic, as several other non-microsaur lepospondyl groups such as Lysorophia seem to be nested in it.[2][4][5] Microsauria is now commonly used as a collective term for the grade of lepospondyls that were originally classified as members of Microsauria.[3]
Microbrachis
The microsaurs all had short tails and small legs, but were otherwise quite varied in form. The group included lizard-like animals that were relatively well-adapted to living on dry land, burrowing forms, and others that, like the modern axolotl, retained their gills into adult life, and so presumably never left the water.[6] Their skeleton was heavily ossified, and their development was likely gradual with no metamorphosis.[7]
^Mann, Arjan; Gee, Bryan M.; Pardo, Jason D.; Marjanović, David; Adams, Gabrielle R.; Calthorpe, Ami S.; Maddin, Hillary C.; Anderson, Jason S. (2020). "Reassessment of historic 'microsaurs' from Joggins, Nova Scotia, reveals hidden diversity in the earliest amniote ecosystem". Papers in Palaeontology. 6 (4): 605–625. doi:10.1002/spp2.1316. S2CID 218925814.
^ abBolt, J.R.; Rieppel, O. (2009). "The holotype skull of Llistrofus pricei Carroll and Gaskill, 1978 (Microsauria: Hapsidopareiontidae)". Journal of Paleontology. 83 (3): 471–483. Bibcode:2009JPal...83..471B. doi:10.1666/08-076.1. S2CID 128436286.
^Anderson, J.S. (2001). "The phylogenetic trunk: Maximal inclusion of taxa with missing data in an analysis of the Lepospondyli (Vertebrata, Tetrapoda)". Systematic Biology. 50 (2): 170–193. doi:10.1080/10635150119889. PMID 12116927.
^Ruta, M.; Coates, M.I. (2007). "Dates, nodes, and character conflict: addressing the lissamphibian origin problem". Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 5: 69–122. doi:10.1017/S1477201906002008. S2CID 86479890.
^Palmer, D., ed. (1999). The Marshall Illustrated Encyclopedia of Dinosaurs and Prehistoric Animals. London: Marshall Editions. p. 55. ISBN 978-1-84028-152-1.
^Herpetology: An Introductory Biology of Amphibians and Reptiles
Microsauria ("small lizards") is an extinct, possibly polyphyletic order of tetrapods from the late Carboniferous and early Permian periods. It is the...
groups of lepospondyls are known: Adelospondyli; Aïstopoda; Lysorophia; Microsauria; and Nectridea. Lepospondyls have a diverse range of body forms and include...
columella (ear bone) in most anurans) Loss of posterior skull bones (also in Microsauria and Dissorophoidea) Small, widely separated pterygoid bones (also found...
clade in 2007 to include many of the taxa traditionally grouped in "Microsauria", which has since been shown to be a paraphyletic or polyphyletic grouping...
of the head, lysorophians are usually considered to be related to the Microsauria, although the pattern of bones of the skull is somewhat different. ...
398: pp 508–513 Carroll, Robert L.; Gaskill, Pamela (1978). The Order Microsauria. Philadelphia: The American Philosophical Society. ISBN 978-0871691262...
within the family Gymnarthridae. Euryodus is a Lepospondyl from the clade Microsauria that lived during the Lower Permian. The name comes from Greek, meaning...
such as stegocephalians. Another group was called Microsauria by Cope in 1868. He classified Microsauria as a subgroup of Labyrinthodontia, placing many...
The Order Microsauria. American Philosophical Society. pp. 1–126. OCLC 654168566. Carroll, R. L.; Gaskill, P. (1978). "The Order Microsauria". Memoirs...
of connective tissue. Carroll, R. L.; Gaskill, P. (1978). "The Order Microsauria". Memoirs of the American Philosophical Society. 126: 1–211. Carroll...
Gesellschaft. 42: 240–277. Carroll, R. L.; Gaskill, P. (1978). The Order Microsauria. Memoirs of the American Philosophical Society. Vol. 126. DIANE Publishing...
This included the following orders: Anthracosauria, Seymouriamorpha, Microsauria, Diadectomorpha, Procolophonia, Pareiasauria, Captorhinidia, Testudinata...
family Ostodolepidae. Carroll, R. L.; Gaskill, P. (1978). "The Order Microsauria". Memoirs of the American Philosophical Society. 126: 1–211. ISBN 9780871691262...
for the family Goniorhynchidae Carroll and Gaskill, 1978 (Amphibia: Microsauria)". Journal of Paleontology. 62 (2): 317. doi:10.1017/S0022336000030031...
Llistrofus because of this. Carroll, R. L.; Gaskill, P. (1978). "The Order Microsauria". Memoirs of the American Philosophical Society. 126. Bolt, J.R.; Rieppel...
Family Diplocaulidae Family Scincosauridae Family Urocordylidae Order Microsauria Utaherpeton Family Microbrachidae Family Hyloplesiontidae Family Odonterpetontidae...
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