Wellesaurus fossil map
Where fossils of Wellesaurus have been found, shown on the Earth as it looked about 252 million years ago and on today’s map.
Dots are fossil collections recorded in the Paleobiology Database. The “then” view moves today’s fossil sites back to their positions 252 million years ago (the time slice nearest the median age of the fossils) using the Merdith et al. (2021) plate model; positions are approximate. Open on the timeline map →
| Group | Early tetrapods & amphibians |
|---|---|
| Lived | 248.6–247 million years ago |
| Periods | Triassic |
| Family | Mastodonsauridae |
| Named by | Lehman 1971 |
| Fossil records | 3 occurrences at 2 locations (PBDB) |
| Found in | United States |
| Rock formations | Moenkopi |
About Wellesaurus
Wellesaurus is an extinct genus of mastodonsauroid temnospondyl. They were amphibious carnivores that lived in freshwater environments.
Wellesaurus encompasses several species which were connected when the genus was named in 1971. The type species, Wellesaurus peabodyi, was originally named as Parotosaurus peabodyi in 1965. This species is based on UCMP 36058, a complete skull from the Wupatki Member of the Moenkopi Formation in Arizona. Many other skulls have been recovered from the area and referred to the species. Wellesaurus peabodyi is often considered synonymous with Stanocephalosaurus birdi, a contemporaneous capitosaur named in 1933.
Another potential species, Wellesaurus africanus, is from subzone B of the Cynognathus Assemblage Zone in South Africa. Although this species was originally formulated in 1909, the fragmentary preservation of its material has prevented precise conclusions on its affinities. As a result, it has been referred to a variety of mastodonsauroid genera, including Capitosaurus, Parotosuchus, and Wellesaurus. Based on a more complete skull, the africanus species was given its own genus, Xenotosuchus, in 2002.
Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Wellesaurus (revision 1283165683), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim, formatting removed. Ages, family, authority and fossil records: Paleobiology Database, accessed 23 October 2026. Ages are those of the rock layers the fossils were found in. Wikidata: Q7981228.
