Amphibian
Melosaurus bohemicus
Melosaurus bohemicusCochleosaurus bohemicus was a predatory temnospondyl amphibian that inhabited the lush freshwater swamp forests of equatorial Euramerica during the Late Carboniferous. Possessing a broad, parabolic skull with rugose ornamentation and sensory lateral line canals, it hunted both aquatic prey in murky channels and small animals along swampy margins. Abundant fossil specimens recovered from coal deposits reveal growth series that demonstrate how its skull proportions and feeding apparatus changed from juvenile to adult stages.
PrehistoricCarnivore
—observations
—countries
—peak records
ExtinctConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXExtinctRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyPaleoniscoid fish, Larval amphibians, Freshwater arthropods
Predators
- Larger temnospondyls
- Early anthracosaurs
- Xenacanthid sharks
ThreatsNatural prehistoric extinction events and changing swamp ecosystems
HabitatsCarboniferous coal swamps, freshwater lakes, and river channels
Life span10–20 years
Classification
- FamilyCochleosauridae
- SpeciesMelosaurus bohemicus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Extinct prehistoric species; fossils are entirely safe to handle and examine.
Responsible observation
- Fossil examination: Look for the distinctive pitted texture and sensory grooves on skull casts.
- Museum viewing: Observe fossil slabs under raking light to see delicate limb and vertebrae impressions.
Predator Kimberly G. Beck, Rodrigo Soler-Gijón, Jesse R. Carlucci, Ray E. Willis / CC BY 4.0 · cc-by
Close Relative Tommy from Arad / CC BY 2.0 · cc-by
Same Family Pat Holroyd / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Help improve the field guideSomething wrong?
Checking your Fauna account…Report a name, category, or profile issue for review.