Branchiosauridae

Branchiosauridae; Temporal range:
	Fossil of Branchiosaurus salamandroides in the Museo di Storia Naturale di Venezia
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Order:	†Temnospondyli
Clade:	†Amphibamiformes
Family:	†Branchiosauridae; Fritsch, 1879.
Genera
	†Branchiosaurinae †Branchiosaurus; †Apateon; †Melanerpeton; †Leptorophus; †Schoenfelderpeton; †Piasimotriton; ; †Tungussogyrininae †Tungussogyrinus; ;

Branchiosauridae is an extinct family of small amphibamiform temnospondyls with external gills and an overall juvenile appearance. The family has been characterized by hundreds of well-preserved specimens from the Permo-Carboniferous of Middle Europe. Specimens represent well defined ontogenetic stages and thus the taxon has been described to display paedomorphy (perennibranchiate). However, more recent work has revealed branchiosaurid taxa that display metamorphosing trajectories. The name Branchiosauridae (“Branchio” in Ancient Greek denoting gills and “saurus” meaning lizard) refers to the retention of gills.

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