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Baphetes

Adapted from Wikipedia · Discoverer experience

Artist's reconstruction of Phlegethontia longissima, an ancient prehistoric creature, shown in a scientific and educational style.

Baphetes was an ancient kind of early four-legged animal that lived a very long time ago. Scientists found its fossils in places like England, Nova Scotia, and the Czech Republic. This animal was first described by a scientist named Richard Owen in the year 1854.

One special name for this group of animals is B. planiceps, which is considered the main example of the group. Later, scientists decided that another species called B. lintonensis actually belonged to a different group called Loxomma. Studying animals like Baphetes helps us learn about life on Earth many millions of years ago.

Images

Scientific reconstruction of Rhizodus, a giant freshwater fish from the Carboniferous period.
An artist’s illustration of Osteolepis, an ancient fish from the Devonian period.
A detailed pencil drawing of Eusthenopteron, an ancient lobe-finned fish from the Late Devonian period.
Scientific illustration of Tiktaalik rosae, an ancient fish-like creature that lived millions of years ago.
An artistic reconstruction of Acanthostega gunnari, one of the earliest known four-legged animals, showing how scientists imagine it might have looked millions of years ago.
An artist's illustration of Crassigyrinus, an early four-legged animal from ancient Scotland.
An artist's reconstruction of Eucritta melanolimnetes, an ancient ancestor of modern four-limbed animals, shown on a white background.
An artistic reconstruction of Archeria crassidisca, an ancient four-legged creature from over 250 million years ago.
A scientific illustration showing an ancient amphibian-like creature, Bruktererpeton, resting peacefully.
A 3D scientific reconstruction of Tiktaalik roseae, an ancient creature that lived between fish and the first land animals.

Related articles

Nova Scotia
Richard Owen

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Baphetes, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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