The Coal Measures Amphibia of North America

by Roy Lee Moodie

2. The nodules in the creek bed at the "upper beds." Many of them have been cracked open by the frost.

3. Looking south at the "upper beds." The nodules found in the background are non-fossiliferous.

4. Nodules may be seen through the clear water embedded in the shale. Neuropterid insects in the water.

5. Looking for nodules at the "upper beds." The uppermost reaches of the fossiliferous beds correspond with the extreme background of the picture.

6. Nodules in the stream bed at the "lower beds." Many of these are cracked open by the frost and good specimens are sometimes found in the nodules.

These species have been arranged zoologically according to the following plan:

Class Amphibia Linné, 1758.
Subclass Euamphibia Moodie, 1909.
Order Branchiosauria Lydekker, 1889.
Family Branchiosauridæ Fritsch, 1879.
Micrerpeton caudatum Moodie, 1909.
Eumicrerpeton parvum Moodie, 1910.
Mazonerpeton longicaudatum Moodie, 1912.
Mazonerpeton costatum Moodie, 1912.
Order Caudata Duméril, 1806.
Suborder Proteida Cope.
Family Cocytinidæ Moodie, 1912.
Erierpeton branchialis Moodie, 1912.
Subclass Lepospondylia Zittel, 1887.
Order Microsauria Dawson, 1863.
Family Amphibamidæ Cope, 1875.
Amphibamus grandiceps Cope, 1865.
Amphibamus thoracatus Moodie, 1911.
Cephalerpeton ventriarmatum Moodie, 1912.
Family Molgophidæ Cope, 1875.
Erpetobrachium mazonensis Moodie, 1912.
Subclass Stegocephala Cope, 1868.
Order Temnospondylia Zittel, 1887.
Suborder Embolomeri Cope, 1885.
Family Cricotidæ Cope, 1884.
Spondylerpeton spinatum Moodie, 1912.

It will be seen from the above arrangement that nearly all of the orders of Amphibia are represented in the Mazon Creek fauna. These animals are the oldest known land vertebrates of North America.