Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Order Diadectomorpha | Family †Tseajaiidae Rank Genus | |
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Similar Limnoscelis, Diadectomorpha, Solenodonsaurus, Orobates, Diasparactus | ||
Tseajaia is an extinct genus of tetrapod. It was an anthracosaurian that lived in the Permian of North America. The skeleton is that of a medium-sized, rather advanced reptile-like amphibian. In life it was about 1 metre (3 ft) long and may have looked vaguely like an iguana, though slower and with a more amphibian foot without claws. The dentition was somewhat blunt, indicating herbivory or possibly omnivory.
Phylogeny
Tseajaia was described from a single, fairly complete specimen and was given its own family by Robert L. Carroll. It was originally thought to be a Seymouriamorph. Additional finds allowing for a better taxonomic analysis indicate they belong in the Diadectomorpha, as the sister group to the large and more derived Diadectidae. Tseajaia itself being a fairly generalized form, gives a reasonable indication of the build and looks of the closest relatives of the amniotes.