180 



VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY 



THE EXTINCT AMPHIBIA 



All of the early Amphibia of the coal-measures (Upper Carbonifer- 

 ous) are classed as Stegocephali, and it is customary to divide the 

 Class Amphibia into two sub-classes: (1) Stegocephali (with dermal 

 armor, especially on the head); (2) Lissamphibia (modem and ex- 

 tinct Amphibia with smooth bodies, devoid of heavy dermal armor). 



Sub-Class I. Stegocephali 



The earliest actual skeletal remains of Amphibia were found in the 

 Edinburgh Coal-Measures, which belong to Lower Carboniferous 



Fig. 105. — Group of Extinct Amphibia, A and B from the Carboniferous; 

 C and F, Permo-Carboniferous. A, Pytonius; B, Amphibamus; C, Cacops; 

 D, Cricotus; E, Diplocaulus; F, Eryops. (Redrawn after Osborn, following 

 restorations of Gregory and Deckert.) 



times. These forms, Loxomma and Pholidogaster, are not transitional 

 but fully modified Amphibia. There is every reason to believe there- 

 fore that the earliest Amphibia arose back in the Devonian. 



