Amphibian · GBIF taxon 10864826
Parmastega aelidae
Parmastega aelidaeParmastega aelidae cruised tropical Devonian lagoons like a primitive crocodile, keeping its large, upward-facing eyes above the water surface to scan shorelines for early land arthropods. Its heavily ossified skull contrasted with a largely cartilaginous, fish-like body, indicating it lived almost entirely submerged while breathing primarily through internal gills. Sharp recurved teeth along the jaw allowed it to ambush small aquatic vertebrates and terrestrial invertebrates straying near the water's edge.
AquaticCarnivore
Licensed referenceEntelognathus / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
—observations
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ExtinctConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXExtinctRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Early terrestrial arthropods
- Small ray-finned fishes
- Early myriapods
Predators
- Large placoderms
- Predatory sarcopterygian fishes
ThreatsLate Devonian extinction pulses and environmental shifts (extinct)
HabitatsTropical coastal lagoons, estuaries, and shallow inland basins
Life spanUnknown (estimated 10–20 years)
Classification
- FamilyParmastegidae
- GenusParmastega
- SpeciesParmastega aelidae
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Extinct species known only from fossil material.
Responsible observation
- Fossil Examination: Note the upward-facing eye sockets set atop the flattened skull.
- Museum Collections: Observe prepared Devonian matrix specimens in paleontology exhibits.
Image unavailableClose Relative Close Relative 
Close Relative Eduard Solà / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Close Relative Placoderm2 / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
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