Species · GBIF taxon 5936000
Hylonomus lyelli
Hylonomus lyelliHylonomus lyelli was an agile, lizard-like animal celebrated as one of the earliest undisputed amniotes in the fossil record. Most specimens were preserved inside the hollowed, sand-choked stumps of giant lycopsid trees, where they became trapped while hunting or seeking shelter. With small, pointed teeth adapted for crushing arthropod carapaces, it thrived in the damp undergrowth of equatorial coal swamps long before the rise of dinosaurs.
PrehistoricInsectivore
—observations
—countries
—peak records
ExtinctConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXExtinctRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Primitive insects
- Early millipedes
- Land snails
Predators
- Temnospondyl amphibians
- Early anthracosaurs
ThreatsExtinct prehistoric species; catastrophic flooding and entrapment in hollow trees
HabitatsCarboniferous coal swamp forests and lycopsid woodlands
Life spanUnknown
Classification
- FamilyProtorothyrididae
- SpeciesHylonomus lyelli
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Extinct prehistoric species known only from Carboniferous fossil deposits.
Responsible observation
- Museum Exhibits: View fossilized remains and lycopsid stump casts at the Joggins Fossil Centre.
- Heritage Protection: Observe fossil strata only from established paths, as the Joggins cliffs are legally protected.
Image unavailableCompetitor 
Neighbor Mickaël Lhéritier, Gregory D. Edgecombe, Russell J. Garwood, Adrien Buisson, Alexis Gerbe, Nicolás Mongiardino Koch, Jean Vannier, Gilles Escarguel, Jérome Adrien, Vincent Fernandez, Aude Bergeret-Medina, and Vincent Perrier / CC BY 4.0 · cc-by
Close Relative Neil Pezzoni / CC BY 4.0 · cc-by
Early Relative Nobu Tamura (http://spinops.blogspot.com) / CC BY 2.5 · cc-by
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