Cambrian to Permian life-forms

[Morose]

Name: Brontoscorpio
Pronunciation: Bron-toe-scor-pee-o
Meaning of name: "Thunder scorpion".
Species: B. anglicus
Size: Uncertain due to a lack of fossils.
Family: Uncertain
Diet: Carnivore
First fossils found: Known only from a single finger of a right pedipalp discovered in the St. Maughan's Formation of Wales. Named by Erik N. Kjellesvig-Waering in 1972.
Lived: 419.2 to 410.8 million years ago during the Lochkovian stage of the Early Devonian in what is now Wales.

[Morose]

Name: Diacalymene
Pronunciation: Dia-ca-lie-mee-nee
Meaning of name: Uncertain. May possibly mean "Completely beautiful crescent"
Species: D. ouzregui, D. clavicula, D. diademata D. gabrielsi
Size: Up to 10cm long.
Family: Calymenidae
Diet: Uncertain. Likely carnivore.
First fossils found: Known from multiple specimens discovered in North Africa, the UK, Canada, Estonia, the United States, Argentina, Norway, Paraguay and the Czech Republic. Named in 1927.
Lived: Depending on species, lived between 450 and 418.7 million years ago from the Katian stage of the Late Ordivician through to the Lochkovian of the Early Devonian in the oceans that once covered what is now the Czech Republic, Argentina, Norway, Paraguay, the UK, Canada, Estonia, North Africa and the United States.

[Morose]

Name: Palaeophonus
Pronunciation: Pay-le-oh-foe-nus
Meaning of name: "Ancient killer".
Species: P. arctus, P. nuncius, P. lightbodyi, P. osborni
Size: 8cm long
Family: Palaeophonidae
Diet: Insectivore/carnivore
First fossils found: Known from several specimens discovered in various locations throughout Europe, Canada and the United States. P. nuncius named by Swedish arachnologist, Tamerlan Thorell, and Swedish palaeontologist, Gustaf Lindström, in 1884. P. osborni named in 1885. P. arctus named in 1894. P. lightbodyi named in 1954.
Lived: Depending on species, lived between 428.2 and 314.6 from the Homerian stage of the Middle Silurian through to the Moscovian stage of the Late Carboniferous in what is now Canada, Europe and the United States.

[Morose]

Name: Cyonosaurus
Pronunciation: Sy-on-o-sore-us
Meaning of name: "Dog lizard"
Species: C. longiceps, C. rubidgei, C. kitchingi, C. broomianus, C. tenuirostris
Size: Depending on species, measured between 0.6 and 1.1 metres long.
Family: Uncertain
Diet: Carnivore
First fossils found: Known only from skulls discovered in South Africa. C. kitchingi named in 1936. C. longiceps and C. rubidgei named in 1937. C. broomianus named in 1950. C. tenuirostris named in 1953.
Lived: Depending on species, lived between 259.1 and 254.14 million years ago during the Wuchiapingian stage of the Late Permian in what is now South Africa.

[Morose]

Name: Ophiderpeton
Pronunciation: O-phid-er-pet-on
Meaning of name: "Snake creeper"
Species: O. granulosum, O. vicinum, O. brownriggi, O. pectinatum, O.zieglerianum, O. nanum, O. amphiuminum
Size: 70cm long
Family: Ophiderpetontidae
Diet: Insectivore.
First fossils found: Known from several specimens discovered in central Europe and the midwestern United States. O. brownriggi named by English biologist, Thomas Henry Huxley, in 1866. O. nanum and O. amphiuminum named in 1868. O. granulosum, O. pectinatum, O.zieglerianum and O. vicinum named in 1879.
Lived: Depending on species, lived between 346.7 to 294 million years ago from the Viséan stage of the Early Carboniferous through to the Sakmarian stage of the Early Permian in what is now central Europe and the midwestern United States.

[Morose]

Name: Gordodon
Pronunciation: Gor-doe-don
Meaning of name: "Fat tooth", in reference to its large incisor-like front teeth.
Species: G. kraineri
Size: Estimated to have measured around 1.5 metres long and weighing 34kgs
Family: Edaphosauridae
Diet: Herbivore. Fed on low-growing vegetation.
First fossils found: Known only from a single, partial skeleton discovered by geology student, Ethan Schuth, in the Bursum Formation of New Mexico in 2013. Named by Spencer G. Lucas, Larry F. Rinehart and Matt Celeskey in 2018.
Lived: 298.9 to 295 million years ago during the Asselian stage of the Early Permian in what is now the southwestern United States.

[Morose]

Name: Geikia
Pronunciation: Gy-ke-ah
Meaning of name: Named after Scottish writer and geologist, Sir Archibald Geikie.
Species: G. elginensis, G. locusticeps
Size: Uncertain
Family: Geikiidae
Diet: Herbivore. Likely fed on low-growing vegetation.
First fossils found: Known only from partial specimens discovered in the Cutties Hillock Sandstone Formation of Scotland and the Usili Formation of southwest Tanzania, East Africa. G. elginensis named by E. T. Newton in 1893. G. locusticeps (originally thought to be a species of Dicynodon) named in 1942
Lived: Depending on species, lived between 254.14 and 251.902 million years ago during the Changhsingian stage of the Late Permian in what is now Scotland and East Africa.

[Morose]

Name: Casineria
Pronunciation: Cass-in-eh-ree-ah
Meaning of name: Named after Cheese Bay, Scotland, where its fossils were discovered.
Species: C. kiddi
Size: 15cm long.
Family: Uncertain.
Diet: Carnivore/insectivore
First fossils found: Known only from a single, partial skeleton (skull and tail missing) discovered by an amateur fossil collector on the shore of Cheese Bay, Scotland, in 1992. Named by R.L. Paton, T.R. Smithson and J.A. Clack in 1999. Casineria is a latinization of Cheese Bay.
Lived: 340 to 334 million years ago during the Viséan stage of the Early Carboniferous in what is now Scotland.

[Morose]

Name: Cochleosaurus
Pronunciation: Cok-lee-oh-sore-us
Meaning of name: "Spoon lizard", in reference to the spoon-shaped processes on the supra-occipital bones at the back of the skull.
Species: C. bohemicus, C. florensis
Size: Measured between 1.2 and 1.6 metres long. Weight uncertain.
Family: Cochleosauridae
Diet: Carnivore
First fossils found: Known from at least 50 specimens discovered in the Morien Group of Nova Scotia, Canada, and the Kladno Formation of the Czech Republic. C. bohemicus named by Czech palaeontologist, Antonín Jan Frič, in 1885. C. florensis named in 1980.
Lived: 310 million years ago during the Moscovian stage of the Late Carboniferous in what is now the Czech Republic and Nova Scotia, Canada.

[Morose]

Name: Solenodonsaurus
Pronunciation: So-len-oh-don-sore-us
Meaning of name: "Single toothed lizard"
Species: S. janenschi
Size: Estimated to have measured around 80cm long.
Family: Uncertain.
Diet: Carnivore/insectivore
First fossils found: Known only from partial skeletons discovered in the Czech Republic. Named by F. Broili in 1924.
Lived: 311.45 to 306.95 million years ago during the Moscovian and Kasimovian stages of the Late Carboniferous in what is now the Czech Republic.

[Morose]

Name: Varanops
Pronunciation: Va-ran-nops
Meaning of name: "Varan face".
Species: V. brevirostris
Size: 1.2 metres long. Weight uncertain.
Family: Varanopidae
Diet: Carnivore
First fossils found: Known from several specimens discovered in the Garber Formation of Oklahoma and the Arroyo Formation of Texas. Named by American palaeontologist, Samuel Wendell Williston, in 1914. Was originally thought to be a species of Varanosaurus.
Lived: 283.5 to 272.95 million years ago during the Kungurian stage of the Early Permian in what is now the south central United States.

[Morose]

Name: Ventastega
Pronunciation: Ven-tah-steg-ah
Meaning of name: "Venta roof"
Species: V. curonica
Size: Estimated to have measured around 1 metre long.
Family: Uncertain
Diet: Carnivore/piscivore
First fossils found: Known only from a single, partial skeleton discovered by Walter Gross in the Katleri Formation of Latvia in 1933. Named by P. E. Ahlberg, J. A. Clark, E. Luksevics and I. Lebedev in 1994.
Lived: 372.2 to 358.9 million years ago during the Famennian stage of the Late Devonian in what is now Latvia.

[Morose]

Name: Herpetoskylax
Pronunciation: Her-pe-toe-sky-laks
Meaning of name: "Reptile puppy"
Species: H. hopsoni
Size: Estimated to have measured around 1 metre long. Weight uncertain.
Family: Uncertain
Diet: Carnivore.
First fossils found: Known only from two skulls discovered in the Teekloof Formation of South Africa. Named by C. A. Sidor and B. S. Rubidge in 2006.
Lived: 259 to 254 million years ago during the Wuchiapingian stage of the Late Permian in what is now South Africa.

[Morose]

Name: Acanthodes
Pronunciation: Ah-can-tho-deez.
Meaning of name: "Spiny base"
Species: A. bridgei, A. bronni, A.gracilis, A. guizhouensis
Size: 30cm long
Family: Acanthodidae
Diet: Filter-feeder
First fossils found: Known from specimens discovered in Asia, Europe, Australia and the United States. A. bronni named in 1832. A.gracilis named in 1949. A. bridgei named in 1976. A. guizhouensis named in 1985.
Lived: Depending on species, lived between 358.9 to 283.5 from the Tournaisian stage of the Early Carboniferous through to the Artinskian stage of the Early Permian in what is now Asia, Europe, Australia and the United States.

[Morose]

Name: Pachydectes
Pronunciation: Pak-e-dek-teez
Meaning of name: "Thick biter"
Species: P. elsi
Size: Uncertain due to a lack of fossils, but is estimated to have measured around 2 metres long.
Family: Burnetiidae
Diet: Carnivore
First fossils found: Known only from a single, partial skull discovered in the Koonap Formation of South Africa. Named by B. S. Rubidge, C. A. Sidor and S. P. Modesto in 2006
Lived: 265 to 255 million years ago during the Capitanian stage of the Middle Permian in what is now South Africa.

[Morose]

Name: Dendromaia
Pronunciation: Den-dro-my-ah
Meaning of name: "Tree mother", in reference to proposed parental care and the fact that its fossils were discovered inside a petrified tree stump.
Species: D. unamakiensis
Size: Estimated to have measured between 20 and 30cm long.
Family: Varanopidae.
Diet: Uncertain. Possible insectivore.
First fossils found: Known only from two partial skeletons discovered inside a petrified tree stump in the Sydney Mines Formation of Nova Scotia, Canada, in 2017. Named by Hillary C. Maddin, Arjan Mann and Brian Hebert in 2019.
Lived: 309 to 306 million years ago during the Moscovian and Kasimovian stages of the Late Carboniferous in what is now Nova Scotia, Canada.

[Morose]

Name: Seymouria
Pronunciation: See-more-ee-ah
Meaning of name: "From Seymour", in reference to the town of Seymour, Texas, near where its fossils were discovered.
Species: S. baylorensis, S. sanjuanensis, S. graandis
Size: 60cm long and weighing between 0.9 and 1.3kgs
Family: Seymouriidae
Diet: Carnivore
First fossils found: Known from several well-preserved specimens discovered in Germany and the western and south-central United States. S. baylorensis named by German palaeontologist, Ferdinand Broili, in 1904. S. sanjuanensis named by Peter Paul Vaughn in 1966. S. graandis named by American palaeontologist, Paul E. Olsen, in 1979.
Lived: Depending on species, lived between 290.1 and 268.8 million years ago from the Artinskian stage of the Early Permian through to the Roadian stage of the Middle Permian in what is now Germany and the western and south-central United States.

[Morose]

Name: Saharastega
Pronunciation: Sah-ha-rah-steg-ah
Meaning of name: "Sahara roof"
Species: S. moradiensis
Size: Unknown due to a lack of fossils.
Family: Uncertain.
Diet: Carnivore/piscivore
First fossils found: Known only from a single, partial skull discovered in the Moradi Formation of Niger, West Africa. Named by C. A. Sidor, F. R. O'Keefe, R. Damiani, J. S. Steyer, R. M. H. Smith, H. C. E. Larsson, P. C. Sereno, O. Ide and A. Maga in 2005.
Lived: 260 to 251 million years ago from the Capitanian stage of the Middle Permian through to the Wuchiapingian stage of the Late Permian in what is now West Africa.

[Morose]

Name: Bothriolepis
Pronunciation: Bo-three-oh-lep-is
Meaning of name: "Trench scale"
Species: Known from more than 60 species, however, many of these may not be valid. Notable species include B. canadensis, B. rex, B. virginiensis, B. nitida, B. coloradensis and B. africana
Size: The largest known species, B. rex, is estimated to have measured around 1.7 metres
Family: Bothriolepidae.
Diet: Detritivore.
First fossils found: Known from several specimens discovered worldwide in various places including Australia, South America, Europe, Asia, Canada and the western, southeastern and northeastern United States. B. africana named in 1840. B. nitida named in 1856. B. canadensis named in 1880. B. coloradensis named in 1904. B. virginiensis named in 1981. B. rex named in 2016.
Lived: Depending on species, lived between 387.7 and 358.9 million years ago from the Givetian stage of the Middle Devonian through to the Famennian stage of the Late Devonian in oceans worldwide.

[Morose]

Name: Mandageria
Pronunciation: Man-daj-ee-ree-a
Meaning of name: Named after the Mandagery Sandstone Formation where its fossils were first discovered.
Species: M. fairfaxi
Size: Between 1.5 and 2 metres long
Family: Tristichopteridae.
Diet: Carnivore/piscivore
First fossils found: Known from specimens discovered in the Mandagery Sandstone Formation of central New South Wales, Australia. Named by Zerina Johanson and Per E. Ahlberg in 1997.
Lived: 382.7 to 358.9 million years ago during the Frasnian and Famennian stages of the Late Devonian in the oceans that surrounded and once covered parts of what is now Australia.

[Morose]

Name: Gooloogongia
Pronunciation: Goo-loo-gon-ge-ah
Meaning of name: Named after the town of Gooloogong, New South Wales, Australia
Species: G. loomesi
Size: 90cm long
Family: Rhizodontidae.
Diet: Carnivore/piscivore
First fossils found: Known only from a single skull discovered in central west New South Wales, Australia. Named by Zerina Johanson and Per E. Ahlberg in 1998.
Lived: 360 million years ago during the Famennian stage of the Late Devonian in the oceans that once covered what is now New South Wales, Australia.

[Morose]

Name: Ianthasaurus
Pronunciation: E-an-tha-sore-us
Meaning of name: "Iantha River lizard"
Species: I. hardestiorum
Size: Estimated to have measured around 75cm long.
Family: Edaphosauridae.
Diet: Insectivore
First fossils found: Known only from a single, partial skeleton discovered in the Stanton Formation of Kansas. Named by Robert R. Reisz and David Berman in 1986.
Lived: 307 to 303.7 million years ago during the Kasimovian stage of the Late Carboniferous in what is now the midwestern United States.

[Morose]

Name: Mesosaurus
Pronunciation: Mes-oh-sore-us
Meaning of name: "Middle lizard"
Species: M. tenuidens, M. brasiliensis, M. capensis
Size: 1 metre long and weighing around 9kgs
Family: Mesosauridae
Diet: Carnivore
First fossils found: Known from complete skeletons discovered in South America and southern Africa. M. tenuidens named by Francois-Louis Paul Gervais in 1864-66. M. capensis named in 1889. M. brasiliensis named in 1908.
Lived: Depending on species, lived between 290.1 and 283.5 million years ago during the Artinskian stage of the Early Permian in the oceans that once surrounded and covered parts of what is now South America and southern Africa.

[Morose]

Name: Sacabambaspis
Pronunciation: Sa-cah-bam-as-piss
Meaning of name: Named after the village of Sacabamba, central Bolivia, western-central South America, where its fossils were discovered.
Species: S. janvieri, though it's possilbe there may be at least three other species.
Size: 25cm long
Family: Sacabambaspidae
Diet: Uncertain. Possible filter-feeder.
First fossils found: Known from several specimens discovered in the Anzaldo Formation of central Bolivia. Named by Pierre-Yves Gagnier, Ricardo Cespedes and Philippe Janvier in 1986. Currently un-named specimens have also been discovered in Oman and Australia.
Lived: 467.3 to 445.2 million years ago from the Darriwilian stage of the Middle Ordovician through to the Katian stage of the Late Ordovician in the oceans that once covered what is now western-central South America. May also have lived in what is now Oman and Australia.

[Morose]

Name: Ymeria
Pronunciation: E-mer-re-ah.
Meaning of name: "From Ymer", after Ymer Island, northeast Greenland, where its fossils were discovered.
Species: Y. denticulata
Size: Unknown due to a lack of fossils.
Family: Uncertain
Diet: Piscivore/insectivore
First fossils found: Known only from mandibles and a partial skull discovered by a team of paleontologists from Sweden and Denmark on Ymer Island, northeast Greenland in 1947. Named by J. A. Clack, P. E. Ahlberg, H. Blom and S. M. Finney in 2012.
Lived: 372.2 to 358.9 million years ago during the Famennian stage of the Late Devonian in what is now Ymer Island, northeast Greenland.

[Morose]

Name: Cladoselache
Pronunciation: Clay-do-sel-ah-kee
Meaning of name: "Branch-toothed shark"
Species: C. acanthopterygius, C. brachypterygius, C. clarki, C. desmopterygius, C. fyleri, C. kepleri, C. magnificus, C. newmani
Size: Depending on species, measured up to 1.8 metres long. Weight uncertain.
Family: Cladoselachidae.
Diet: Carnivore/piscivore
First fossils found: Known from over 100 specimens, some of which include traces of skin, muscle fibers and internal organs as well as impressions of the cartilaginous skeleton. C. fyleri and C. kepleri named in 1889. C. clarki named in 1893. C. magnificus and C. newmani named in 1894. C. acanthopterygius, C. brachypterygius and C. desmopterygius named in 1909.
Lived: Depending on species, lived between 372.2 and 358.9 million years ago during the Famennian stage of the Late Devonian in the oceans that once covered what is now the eastern United States.

[Morose]

Name: Materpiscis
Pronunciation: May-ter-pi-cis
Meaning of name: "Mother fish"
Species: M. attenboroughi
Size: 28cm long
Family: Ptyctodontidae.
Diet: Carnivore
First fossils found: Known only from a single, well-preserved pregnant female with soft tissue impressions, discovered in the Gogo Formation of Western Australia in 2005. Named by J. A. Long, K. Trinajstic, G. C. Young and T. Senden in 2008.
Lived: 382.7 to 372.2 million years ago during the Frasnian stage of the Late Devonian in the oceans that once covered what is now Western Australia.

[Morose]

Name: Oedaleops
Pronunciation: Owe-da-le-ops.
Meaning of name: "Swollen face"
Species: O. campi
Size: Uncertain due to a lack of fossils.
Family: Eothyrididae.
Diet: Uncertain. Possible insectivore.
First fossils found: Known only from a single, partial skeleton discovered in the Cutler Formation of New Mexico. Named by American palaeontologist, Wann Langston Jr., in 1965.
Lived: 290.1 to 283.5 million years ago during the Artinskian stage of the Early Permian in what is now the southwestern United States.

[Morose]

Name: Tambachia
Pronunciation: Tam-bak-e-ah
Meaning of name: Named after the Tambach Formation of central Germany where its fossils were discovered.
Species: T. trogallas
Size: 15.5cm long
Family: Trematopidae.
Diet: Carnivore/piscivore
First fossils found: Known only from a single, partial skeleton discovered in the Tambach Formation of central Germany. Named by S. S. Sumida, D. S. Berman and T. Martens in 1998.
Lived: 290.1 to 283.5 million years ago during the Artinskian stage of the Early Permian in what is now Germany.

[Morose]

Name: Hipposaurus
Pronunciation: Hip-po-sore-us
Meaning of name: "Horse lizard"
Species: H. boonstrai
Size: 1.2 metres long
Family: Hipposauridae
Diet: Carnivore
First fossils found: Known only from two specimens discovered in the Karoo Basin of South Africa. Named by South African palaeontologist, Sidney Henry Haughton, in 1929.
Lived: 265.1 to 259.1 million years ago during the Capitanian stage of the Middle Permian in what is now South Africa.