| Branchiosauridae Temporal range:
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| Fossil of Branchiosaurus salamandroides in the Museo di Storia Naturale di Venezia | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Order: | †Temnospondyli |
| Clade: | †Amphibamiformes |
| Family: | †Branchiosauridae Fritsch, 1879.[1] |
| Genera | |
Branchiosauridae is an extinct family of small amphibamiform temnospondyls with external gills and an overall juvenile appearance. The family has been characterized by hundreds of well-preserved specimens from the Permo-Carboniferous of Middle Europe.[2] Specimens represent well defined ontogenetic stages and thus the taxon has been described to display paedomorphy (perennibranchiate). However, more recent work has revealed branchiosaurid taxa that display metamorphosing trajectories.[3] The name Branchiosauridae (“Branchio” in Ancient Greek denoting gills and “saurus” meaning lizard) refers to the retention of gills.
- ^ Fritsch. 1879. Fauna der Gaskohle und der Kalksteine der Permformation Böhmens. Vol. 1, part 1. Selbstverlag: Prague.
- ^ Schoch, R.R. 2008. The intrarelationships and evolutionary history of the temnospondyl family branchiosauridae. Journal of Systematic Palaeontology. 6(4):409-431.
- ^ Schoch, R.R. and Frobisch, N.B. 2006. Alternative Pathways in an Extinct Amphibian Clade. Evolution. 60(7):1467-1475