CHAPTER VII. 



CLASSIFICATION OF AMPHIBIA ADOPTED IN THIS WORK, AND A LIST OF THE 

 COAL MEASURES AMPHIBIA FROM NORTH AMERICA. 



A few words of explanation will be necessary for an understanding of the follow- 

 ing classification. The term Amphibia Linne, 1758, is, according to Stejneger (550), 

 the correct term for the entire group, and this term is adopted. The term Stcgo- 

 cephala, formerly used as a group name for the entire Carboniferous, Permian, and 

 Triassic Amphibia, regardless of structure, has been retained as a third subclass. 

 The choice, so far as priority is concerned, between Labyrinthodontia and Stego- 

 cephala, is not easy. The terms, however, imply different structures. The laby- 

 rinthodonts proper have stereospondylous vertebrae, while the Stegocephala have 

 either temnospondylous or stereospondylous vertebrae; so the latter term has been 

 adopted. 



The ordinal terms are those which have been used previously as subordinal, 

 sectional, or family names, with the exception of the new ordinal term "Diplocau- 

 lia" (477). The term Branchiosauria is well-established, and it is here retained with 

 the definitions previously given. The same may be said for the Microsauria, 

 although Dawson first (208) regarded it as a family, though giving the term an ordi- 

 nal form. The Aistopoda are not entitled to consideration as a group for reasons 

 which are given subsequently. The Temnospondylia and the Stereospondylia, the 

 Embolomeri and the Rachitomi may or may not be good group names, but they have 

 priority, so far as our knowledge of structure goes. They have been retained in 

 their original meanings. They have been variously regarded as sections, superf ami- 

 lies, groups, and subfamilies. 



The following list of species is arranged according to the proposed scheme of 

 classification : 



Class AMPHIBIA Linne, 1758. Devonian to Recent. 



Subclass EUAMPHIBIA Moodic, 1909. Coal Measures to Recent. 



Order Branchiosauria Lydekker, 1889. Coal Measures to Permian. 

 Family Branchtosauridce Fritsch, 1879. 



Micrerpeton caudatum Moodie, Mazon Creek. 

 Eumicrerpeton parvum Moodie, Mazon Creek. 

 Mazonerpeton longicaudatum Moodie, Mazon Creek. 

 Mazonerpeton costatum Moodie, Mazon Creek. 

 (?) Sparodus sp. indet. Dawson, Nova Scotia. 

 Order Caudata Dumeril, 1806. Coal Measures to Recent. 



Suborder Protcida Cope, 1868. Coal Measures, Eocene, and Recent. 

 Family Cocytinida Cope, 1875. 



Cocytinus gyrinoides Cope, Linton, Ohio. 

 Erierpeton branchialis Moodie, Mazon Creek. 

 Hyphasma laeiris Cope, Linton, Ohio. 



Order Diplocaulia Moodie, 1912. Coal Measures to Permian. 

 Family Diplocaulida Cope, 1881. 



Diplocaulus salamandroides Cope, Salt Fork, Illinois. 

 (?) Order Salientia Laurenti, 1768. Coal Measures (?) to Recent. 

 Family Peliontidae Cope, 1875. 



Pelion lyelli Wyman, Linton, Ohio. 



46 



