as a larva. This phenomenon is called paedomorphosis, and is seen in several modern salamanders, such as the cave-dwelling olm of Europe and the North American mudpuppy. The Mexican axolotl goes one step further; it also retains the tadpole tail of its youth.
name: Pantylus time: Early Permian locality: North America (Texas) size: 10 in/25 cm long
A great head on a small, scaly body characterized this microsaur. It was a well-adapted land animal, moving about on short, sturdy limbs. It probably lived like a modern lizard, scuttling about after insects and other small invertebrates, which were crushed by the numerous large, blunt teeth.
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