Name:
Phlegethontia; pronounced FLEH-geh-THON-tee-ah
Habitat:
Swamps of North America and western Europe
Historical Period:
Late Carboniferous-Early Permian (300 million years ago)
Size and Weight:
About 3 feet long and a few pounds
Diet:
Small animals
Distinguishing Characteristics:
Long, snake-like body; openings in skull
About Phlegethontia:
To the untrained eye, the snake-like prehistoric amphibian Phlegethontia might seem indistinguishable from Ophiderpeton, which also resembled a small (albeit slimy) snake. However, the late Carboniferous Phlegethontia set itself apart from the amphibian pack not only with its lack of limbs, but with its unusual, lightweight skull, which was similar to those of modern snakes (a feature most likely explained by convergent evolution).
