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Metoposauridae

Metoposauridae is an extinct family of trematosaurian temnospondyls. The family is known from the Late Triassic period. Most members are large, approximately 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) long and could reach 3 m long. Metoposaurids can be distinguished from most other stereospondyls by the position of their eyes, placed far forward on the snout.

Geographic distribution
Metoposaurids had a wide distribution across Pangea, being known from across the continental United States and Nova Scotia in North America; France, Germany, Italy, and Portugal in western Europe; Morocco; and Madagascar. Material has also been reported from Zimbabwe but was not collected. At least some historic reports of metoposaurid material are likely undiagnostic below Stereospondyli == History of study ==
History of study
Metoposaurids were one of the first clades of temnospondyls to be named on the basis of Metoposaurus diagnosticus from Germany, named in 1842 by German paleontologist Hermann von Meyer. Several additional species of questionable validity were named in the early 20th century from Italy (Metoposaurus santecrucis) and Germany (Metoposaurus stuttgartensis, Metoposaurus heimi). Although metoposaurids are common in Late Triassic deposits of Germany, The majority of work on metoposaurids has been descriptive or taxonomic in nature, with a very large number of named taxa, the majority of which have now been synonymized with other taxa or determined to not be diagnostic at the species level. The taxonomy of the clade has undergone significant revision as a result. ==Taphonomy==
Taphonomy
Several mass accumulations of dozens of individuals are known from the southwestern United States and Morocco. The large gatherings of metoposaurids may have been breeding sites, and were probably common across floodplains in Late Triassic Pangaea. ==References==
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