Palaeos		Eureptilia
Vertebrates		Overview

Eureptilia: Overview

AMNIOTA
|--SYNAPSIDA
`--+--ANAPSIDA
   |
   `--EUREPTILIA
      |--Coelostegus
      `--+--+--Thuringothyris
          |   `--Captorhinidae
          |     |--Concordia
          |     `--+--Romeria
          |        `--+--Captorhinus
          |            `--Moradisaurinae
          `--+--Brouffia 
            `--Romeriida
               |--Paleothyris                
               `--+--Hylonomus              
                  `--+--Protorothyrididae
                     `--DIAPSIDA

The Eureptilia ("true reptiles") are one of the groups that emerged through cladistic studies of amniote evolution. In linnaean taxonomy reference would be made to Captorhinomorpha, a paraphyletic taxon that nevertheless is useful in reference to the earliest and most basal forms. In addition to these primitive Permo-Carboniferous reptiles, Eureptilia includes that very diverse group of reptiles, the Diapsids, the early members of which are considered in a later unit.

Captorhinomorphs were small, lizard-like forms, that doubtless scurried through the Permo-Carboniferous undergrowth in search of insects and other small invertebrates. Others became early herbivore sor omnivores, and some specialised later types, belonging to the clade Moradisaurinae, grew to quite a reasonable size. MAK120313