Evolution What the Fossils Say and Why it Matters

Sauria

Diapsida

Primitive

diapsids

Amniotes

Reptilia

Anthracosaurs

Anapsid

parareptiles

Tuatara

Dinosauria

Archosauria

360 317 300 251 200 145 65 0

Miss. Penn. Permian Triassic Jurassic Cretaceous Cenozoic

Mammals

Synapsids

Turtles

Ichthyosaurs

Plesiosaurs

Lizards

Mosasaurs

Snakes

Crocodilians

Pterosaurs

Ornithischians

Sauropods

Theropods

Birds

FIGURE 11.1. Family tree of the amniotes. (Drawing by Carl Buell)