# Arenaerpeton

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Extinct genus of amphibians

Arenaerpeton Temporal range: Early-Mid Triassic, ~252–237 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Holotype of Arenaerpeton supinatus Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Clade: Tetrapoda Order: †Temnospondyli Suborder: †Stereospondyli Family: †Chigutisauridae Genus: †Arenaerpeton Hart et al., 2023 Type species †Arenaerpeton supinatus Hart et al., 2023

***Arenaerpeton*** is an extinct [genus](/source/Genus) of [chigutisaurid](/source/Chigutisauridae) [temnospondyl](/source/Temnospondyl) found in the [Terrigal Formation](/source/Terrigal_Formation) of [New South Wales](/source/New_South_Wales), [Australia](/source/Australia). The type species is ***A. supinatus***.[1] The genus name is derived from the Latin "*arena*", meaning "sand" (a reference to the sandstone block in which the holotype was found); and *"erpeton"* meaning thing that creeps (commonly used in fossil amphibians). The species name *"supinatus"* means "supine", referring to the fact that the fossil is lying on its back.

## Discovery and naming

The [holotype](/source/Holotype), **AM F125866**, a skull and partial skeleton, originated from the [Kincumber Quarry](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kincumber_Quarry&action=edit&redlink=1),[1][2] where the [Terrigal Formation](/source/Terrigal_Formation) is present.

In October 1996, Mihail Mihaildis,[3] a retired [chicken farmer](/source/Poultry_farming), purchased a large slab weighing roughly 1,450 kilograms (3,200 lb) for use in the construction of a garden [retaining wall](/source/Retaining_wall) at his private property in [Umina Beach](/source/Umina_Beach%2C_New_South_Wales), [New South Wales](/source/New_South_Wales). While landscaper David King was cleaning the rocks, he discovered the holotype specimen of *Arenaerpeton supinatus*.[1][4] The holotype specimen was found in 60 centimetres (24 in) to 80 centimetres (31 in) of surrounding [quartz](/source/Quartz)-rich [sandstone](/source/Sandstone).

Shortly after, Mihaildis contacted the [Australian Museum](/source/Australian_Museum), [Sydney](/source/Sydney) about the discovery and in 1997, it was put on display at the "Dinosaur World Tour", a Canadian touring exhibition, which was showing in Sydney at the time.[1] One of the describers of the specimen, Lachlan Hart, saw the specimen while it was on display in 1997 at the age of twelve.[3] The fossil was eventually donated to the Australian Museum in 2000.[4]

In c. 2020, shortly before it was described, the holotype was taken to the facilities of the [Australian Border Force](/source/Australian_Border_Force) so a more complete view of the skeleton could be seen by using X-ray scanners normally reserved for the inspection of [cargo](/source/Cargo). Despite this, there was insufficient difference in [X-ray](/source/X-ray) attenuation between the fossil and the surrounding matrix, possibly due to the similar density between the [quartz](/source/Quartz) and the [apatite](/source/Apatite) of the [fossil](/source/Fossil), or due to the low quantity of surviving [bone](/source/Bone).[1]

*Arenaerpeton supinatus* was then named and described by Hart et al. (2023).[1]

## Description

The length of *Arenaerpeton* was calculated to be 1.2 metres (3.9 ft);[1] the surviving section of the holotype measures around 94 centimetres (37 in) long.[2]

## Classification

*Arenaerpeton* is placed in the [family](/source/Family_(taxonomy)) [Chigutisauridae](/source/Chigutisauridae) as the sister taxon to *[Kuttycephalus](/source/Kuttycephalus)* and *[Compsocerops](/source/Compsocerops)*.[1]

## See also

- [Prehistoric amphibian](/source/Prehistoric_amphibian)

- [List of prehistoric amphibians](/source/List_of_prehistoric_amphibians)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-:0_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-:0_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-:0_1-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-:0_1-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-:0_1-7) Hart, Lachlan J.; Gee, Bryan M.; Smith, Patrick M.; McCurry, Matthew R. (2023-08-03). ["A new chigutisaurid (Brachyopoidea, Temnospondyli) with soft tissue preservation from the Triassic Sydney Basin, New South Wales, Australia"](https://doi.org/10.1080%2F02724634.2023.2232829). *Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology*. **42** (6). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1080/02724634.2023.2232829](https://doi.org/10.1080%2F02724634.2023.2232829). [hdl](/source/Hdl_(identifier)):[1959.4/104059](https://hdl.handle.net/1959.4%2F104059). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0272-4634](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0272-4634).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Enrico16_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Enrico16_2-1) de Lazaro, Enrico (16 August 2023). ["Paleontologists Identify New Triassic Amphibian Species in Australia"](https://www.sci.news/paleontology/arenaerpeton-supinatus-12188.html). *www.sci.news*. Retrieved 16 April 2024.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:1_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:1_3-1) Harvey, Austin (11 August 2023). ["Paleontologists Just Identified A 240-Million-Year-Old Salamander With 'Gnarly Teeth' And Skin Intact"](https://allthatsinteresting.com/arenaerpeton-supinatus). *allthatsinteresting.org*. Retrieved 16 April 2024.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:2_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:2_4-1) Hart, Lachlan (26 September 2023). ["When an ancient amphibian fossil met a 12-year-old Palaeo-fan"](https://australian.museum/blog/amri-news/when-an-ancient-amphibian-fossil-met-a-12-year-old-palaeo-fan/). *australian.museum*. Retrieved 18 April 2024.

v t e Stereospondyli Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Clade: Tetrapodomorpha Order: Temnospondyli Tetrapodomorpha see Tetrapodomorpha Temnospondyli see Temnospondyli Stereospondyli see below↓ Stereospondyli Stereospondyli Arachana Capulomala Peltobatrachus Lapillopsidae Lapillopsis Manubrantlia Rhigerpeton Rotaurisaurus Rhinesuchidae Australerpeton? Broomistega Laccosaurus Parapytanga? Rastosuchus Rhineceps Rhinesuchoides Rhinesuchus Uranocentrodon Lydekkerinidae Chomatobatrachus Cryobatrachus Deltacephalus Eolydekkerina Indobenthosuchus Luzocephalus? Lydekkerina Capitosauria Antarctosuchus Bukobaja Calmasuchus Capitosaurus Cherninia Cyclotosaurus Edingerella Eocyclotosaurus Eryosuchus Heptasaurus Huangfuchuansuchus Jammerbergia Kestrosaurus Kupferzellia Mastodonsaurus Meyerosuchus Odenwaldia Paracyclotosaurus Parotosuchus Quasicyclotosaurus Procyclotosaurus Promastodonsaurus Rhadalognathus Samarabatrachus Sassenisaurus Sclerothorax Selenocara Stanocephalosaurus Stenotosaurus Subcyclotosaurus Tatrasuchus Vladlenosaurus Volgasaurus Volgasuchus Warrenisuchus Watsonisuchus Wellesaurus Wetlugasaurus Xenotosuchus Yuanansuchus Trematosauria see below↓ Trematosauria Trematosauria Almasaurus Bothriceps Callistomordax Chinlestegophis Keratobrachyops Laidleria Latiscopus Qantas Rileymillerus Syrtosuchus Uruyiella Benthosuchidae Benthosuchus Kwatisuchus Trematosauridae Angusaurus Aphaneramma Cosgriffius Erythrobatrachus Gonioglyptus Hyperokynodon Icanosaurus Indolyrocephalus Inflectosaurus Lyrocephaliscus Microposaurus Panchetosaurus Platystega Prothoosuchus Stoschiosaurus Tertrema Tertremoides Thoosuchus Tirraturhinus Trematolestes Trematosuchoides Trematosaurus Trematosuchus Trematotegmen Wantzosaurus Metoposauridae Anaschisma Apachesaurus Arganasaurus Buettnererpeton Dutuitosaurus Metoposaurus Panthasaurus Rhytidosteidae Boreopelta Mahavisaurus Nanolania Peltostega Pneumatostega Rhytidosteus Sangaia Trucheosaurus Derwentiinae Arcadia Acerastia Deltasaurus Derwentia Indobrachyops Rewana Chigutisauridae Arenaerpeton Chigutisaurus Compsocerops Koolasuchus Pelorocephalus Siderops Brachyopidae Banksiops Bathignathus Batrachosaurus Batrachosuchoides Batrachosuchus Blinasaurus Brachyops Gobiops Hadrokkosaurus Notobrachyops Platycepsion Sinobrachyops Vanastega Vigilius Xenobrachyops Plagiosauridae Gerrothorax Megalophthalma Plagiobatrachus Plagiorophus Plagiosaurus Plagioscutum Plagiosternum Plagiosuchus See also: Trematosauroidea Metoposauroidea Rhytidosteoidea Brachyopomorpha Brachyopoidea Plagiosauroidea Category

Taxon identifiers Arenaerpeton Wikidata: Q122585818 Wikispecies: Arenaerpeton Paleobiology Database: 479381 ZooBank: 6C7110EF-A28C-4DEF-8746-7878B9BE0047 Arenaerpeton supinatus Wikidata: Q122585821 Wikispecies: Arenaerpeton supinatus Paleobiology Database: 479382

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