Potty-Mouth Amphibian Found

Posted by NG Kids in News Bites on January 15, 2009
i-c6310150d5cb0d36ea8a89dcd8826c1c-kids-pottymouth-011509-lg.jpg

Image courtesy Farish A. Jenkins, Jr./Harvard University

Scientists recently uncovered fossils of an extinct amphibian called Gerrothorax pulcherrimus whose mouth opens sort of like a toilet seat. The jaws of all other vertebrates (animals with a backbone) open wide by hinging down from their skull, while this creature lifted its head up to open its choppers. Gerrothorax lived about 210 million years ago. It lived in warm lakes and ate fish with its toilet seat mouth. It was about three feet (one meter) long and was flat with short limbs.

Farish Jenkins, of Harvard University, said that Gerrothorax was “the ugliest animal in the world.”

Read more about this freaky find on National Geographic News.

Read about dino discoveries on National Geographic Kids.

Tags: ,
Categories: Extinct Animals

Comments

  1. fastlane23
    January 19, 2009, 4:35 pm

    that is creepy

  2. coolguygm
    January 28, 2009, 4:21 pm

    THAT IS COOL

  3. teddyboos
    February 2, 2009, 9:24 pm

    That is great that we all have the ability to learn about somthing that lived so long ago (210 million years)

  4. Fast Lane 360
    March 22, 2009, 8:05 pm

    this article is totally awesome! i love it!!!!

  5. trin9
    April 23, 2009, 7:55 pm

    Thats weard animals have fossils in them

  6. pandagirl789
    July 28, 2009, 5:19 pm

    Animals long ago must have looked weird!

  7. 2mace
    April 5, 2010, 8:08 pm

    WOW

  8. animallover123
    January 5, 2011, 10:23 pm

    true pandagirl789, animals that lived years ago are very awkward like that toilet seat mouth fish. and dinosaurs are also awkward.

You must be logged in to post a comment.