# Wellesaurus

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Extinct genus of temnospondyls

Wellesaurus Temporal range: Triassic, 251.3–247.2 Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Clade: Tetrapoda Order: †Temnospondyli Suborder: †Stereospondyli Clade: †Capitosauria Family: †Stenotosauridae Genus: †Wellesaurus Lehman, 1971 Species †W. peabodyi (Welles and Cosgriff, 1965) (type)

***Wellesaurus*** is an extinct [genus](/source/Genus) of [mastodonsauroid](/source/Mastodonsauroidea) [temnospondyl](/source/Temnospondyl). They were amphibious [carnivores](/source/Carnivore) that lived in freshwater environments.[1]

*Wellesaurus* encompasses several species which were connected when the genus was named in 1971. The type species, *Wellesaurus peabodyi*, was originally named as *Parotosaurus peabodyi* in 1965. This species is based on UCMP 36058, a complete skull from the Wupatki Member of the [Moenkopi Formation](/source/Moenkopi_Formation) in [Arizona](/source/Arizona). Many other skulls have been recovered from the area and referred to the species. *Wellesaurus peabodyi* is often considered synonymous with *[Stanocephalosaurus birdi](/source/Stanocephalosaurus)*, a contemporaneous capitosaur named in 1933.[2][3]

Another potential species, *Wellesaurus africanus*, is from subzone B of the [*Cynognathus* Assemblage Zone](/source/Cynognathus_Assemblage_Zone) in [South Africa](/source/South_Africa). Although this species was originally formulated in 1909, the fragmentary preservation of its material has prevented precise conclusions on its affinities. As a result, it has been referred to a variety of mastodonsauroid genera, including *[Capitosaurus](/source/Capitosaurus)*, *[Parotosuchus](/source/Parotosuchus)*, and *Wellesaurus.*[3] Based on a more complete skull, the *africanus* species was given its own genus, *[Xenotosuchus](/source/Xenotosuchus)*, in 2002.[4]

A third potential species, *Wellesaurus bussoni*, was named in 1971 based on fragmentary skull material from the Lower Sandstone Member of the [Zarzaïtine Series](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Zarza%C3%AFtine_Series&action=edit&redlink=1) in [Algeria](/source/Algeria). This species is considered indeterminate and dubious, possibly representing remains of a juvenile [heylerosaurid](/source/Heylerosauridae).[3] It has also been connected with "*Parotosuchus lapperenti*", another obscure and indeterminate Algerian mastodonsauroid.[5]

## See also

- [Prehistoric amphibian](/source/Prehistoric_amphibian)

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

- [Paleontology portal](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portal:Paleontology)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["†*Wellesaurus* Lehman 1971"](https://paleobiodb.org/classic/checkTaxonInfo?taxon_no=37105). *Paleobiology Database*. Fossilworks. Retrieved 17 December 2021.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Lucas, Spencer G.; Schoch, Rainer R. (2002). ["Triassic temnospondyl biostratigraphy, biochronology and correlation of the German Buntsandstein and North American Moenkopi Formation"](https://www.academia.edu/26483892). *Lethaia*. **35** (2): 97–106. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1111/j.1502-3931.2002.tb00071.x](https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fj.1502-3931.2002.tb00071.x). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1502-3931](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1502-3931).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_3-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-:0_3-2) Damiani, Ross J. (2001-12-01). ["A systematic revision and phylogenetic analysis of Triassic mastodonsauroids (Temnospondyli: Stereospondyli)"](https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fj.1096-3642.2001.tb00635.x). *Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society*. **133** (4): 379–482. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1111/j.1096-3642.2001.tb00635.x](https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fj.1096-3642.2001.tb00635.x). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [0024-4082](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/0024-4082).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Morales_4-0)** Morales, M.; Shishkin, M. A. (2002). ["A re-assessment of *Parotosuchus africanus* (Broom), a capitosauroid temnospondyl amphibian from the Triassic of South Africa"](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/259383920). *Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology*. **22** (1): 1–11. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1671/0272-4634(2002)022\[0001:araopa\]2.0.co;2](https://doi.org/10.1671%2F0272-4634%282002%29022%5B0001%3Aaraopa%5D2.0.co%3B2). [JSTOR](/source/JSTOR_(identifier)) [4524188](https://www.jstor.org/stable/4524188). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [86254209](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:86254209).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Dahoumane, Anissa; Nedjari, Ahmed; Aït-Ouali, Rachid; Taquet, Philippe; Vacant, Renaud; Steyer, Jean-Sébastien (2016-11-01). ["A new Mastodonsauroid Temnospondyl from the Triassic of Algeria: Implications for the biostratigraphy and palaeoenvironments of the Zarzaïtine Series, northern Sahara"](https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.crpv.2015.09.005). *Comptes Rendus Palevol*. **15** (8): 918–926. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1016/j.crpv.2015.09.005](https://doi.org/10.1016%2Fj.crpv.2015.09.005). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1631-0683](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1631-0683).

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 Wellesaurus Wikidata: Q7981228 GBIF: 4815862 IRMNG: 1179902 Open Tree of Life: 4133839 Paleobiology Database: 37105

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