Triops Longicaudatus
Triops Longicaudatus Red
Triops Longicaudatus
Triops Longicaudatus Red
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Fossil discovery in the Steigerwald forest: skull of prehistoric giant amphibian found
Bavaria – Around 230 million years ago, bizarre amphibians roamed the landscape of what is now northern Bavaria. New discoveries now provide impressive evidence that the region was once populated by giant crocodile-like amphibians.
In a forest area in the Steigerwald, palaeontologists have made an extraordinary discovery: ten fossilised skulls of two prehistoric amphibian species, cyclotosaurus and metoposaurus. The fossils, which were hidden in massive sandstone blocks, date from the late Triassic period and are around 230 million years old.
Computed tomography provided certainty
The first clues to the hidden remains emerged years ago. Researchers suspected that fossilised relics might be enclosed in the rocks. However, it was only with the help of a special computer tomograph that the skull fragments could be made visible.
‘We knew the chances were good. But we were surprised by the number and condition of the skulls,’ explains Roland Eichhorn from the Bavarian State Office for the Environment. Back in 2019, the lower jaw of a giant amphibian, complete with teeth, had been recovered from a nearby sandstone quarry near Rauhenebrach, foreshadowing the current find.
Dangerous hunters in the pond
At first glance, cyclosaurs and metoposaurs looked like primitive crocodiles. In fact, however, they were amphibious predators with powerful jaws over half a metre long, full of sharp teeth. The animals probably lurked in muddy waters waiting for prey, similar to today’s alligators or crocodiles.
It is believed that the skulls were washed into riverbeds from dried-up pools by heavy rainfall. They became trapped in the sand and were preserved for millions of years.
A look at the Triassic period
The finds provide valuable insights into life in the late Triassic period, an era marked by climate fluctuations. Dry spells may ultimately have been fatal for these amphibious predators: when the pools dried up, many animals died.
With the latest find in the Steigerwald forest, Bavaria is once again the focus of palaeontology. The skulls of these prehistoric giant amphibians impressively document how diverse and adaptable life was long before the rise of the dinosaurs.
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