The earliest reptiles were largely overshadowed by bigger labyrinthodont amphibians, such as " Cochleosaurus ", and remained a small, inconspicuous part of the fauna until after the small ice age at the end of the Carboniferous.
42.
Analysis of the " columella " ( the stapes in amphibians and reptiles ) of labyrinthodonts however indicates that it did not function in transmitting low-energy vibrations, thus rendering these animals effectively deaf to airborne sound.
43.
Advanced forms transitional between fish and the early labyrinthodonts, such as " Tiktaalik ", have been referred to as " fishapods " by their discoverers, being half-fish, half-tetrapods, in appearance and limb morphology.
44.
Though the end-Triassic extinction event was not equally devastating in all terrestrial ecosystems, several important clades of thecodonts ) disappeared, as did most of the large labyrinthodont amphibians, groups of small reptiles, and some synapsids ( except for the proto-mammals ).
45.
""'Diplovertebron " "'is an extinct genus of Anthracosauria ( Labyrinthodont ) that lived in the Late Carboniferous Moscovian ) ( 300 million years ago ) . " Diplovertebron " was a medium-size animal, 60 cm in length.
46.
Most labyrinthodonts had special sense organs in the skin, forming a lateral line organ for perception of water flow and pressure, like those found in fish and a number of anurans and amniotes appear to have evolved separately, indicating most, if not all, Labyrinthodonts were unable to pick up airborne sound.
47.
Most labyrinthodonts had special sense organs in the skin, forming a lateral line organ for perception of water flow and pressure, like those found in fish and a number of anurans and amniotes appear to have evolved separately, indicating most, if not all, Labyrinthodonts were unable to pick up airborne sound.
48.
Unlike labyrinthodonts, they did not have parietal foramena, small holes in their skulls behind their eye sockets . " Archegosaurus ", " Dendrerpeton ", " Eryops " and " Trimerorhachis " were placed in this group and were considered to be the most primitive members of Reptilia.
49.
Given that among the hallmarks of amphibians are an obligatory return to a body of water to lay eggs, a delicate skin prone to desiccation ( thereby often requiring the amphibian to be relatively close to water throughout its life ), and a reputation of being a bellwether species for disrupted ecosystems due to the resulting low resilience to ecological change, amphibians were particularly devastated, with the Labyrinthodonts among the groups faring worst.
50.
Early groups like " Acanthostega " had eight digits, while the more derived " Ichthyostega " had seven digits, the yet-more derived " Tulerpeton " had six toes . or reptiliomorphs, retained the five-toe pattern still found in Amniotes, while further reduction had taken place on other Labyrinthodont lines, leaving the forefoot with four toes and the hind foot with five, a pattern still found in modern amphibians.
